tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27350587709968428792024-03-05T09:04:45.311+01:00Chez Nous N°21 This is a story about an old house by the foot of the Montagne Noire in the South of France, being renovated by a Finnish-English couple with an apetite for adventure and the local cheese.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-55515077482367350162018-05-31T14:36:00.003+02:002018-05-31T14:36:25.626+02:00My Prime and Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsW_NmD8uX7N7gz3iDV2_NbIzZPp5dSyX_MWuZheRS3peeB-Ky_w3Ij6I6oyIHuAlHsVKQ9J8HsqpDMEbj6WV1ZiAi-tnfC0uCnOmPPP4V5BUiwXG7d5MShyphenhyphengAn3swu6vOfB7wNED8pZV/s1600/prime+and+joy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsW_NmD8uX7N7gz3iDV2_NbIzZPp5dSyX_MWuZheRS3peeB-Ky_w3Ij6I6oyIHuAlHsVKQ9J8HsqpDMEbj6WV1ZiAi-tnfC0uCnOmPPP4V5BUiwXG7d5MShyphenhyphengAn3swu6vOfB7wNED8pZV/s640/prime+and+joy.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chez Nous blog has moved - head over to read the latest post at <a href="http://cheznous21.com/">cheznous21.com</a><br /><br />Tiina x</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-48045204640274490082018-05-23T10:53:00.002+02:002018-05-23T15:22:04.044+02:00Let's get ready to decorate PART 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiqzCk6nAswoaNlFRNb6l0YGO1w0HZvqwDMHtJQTeSfSE86JSo2eo_D64WImDbkieLHpTYx2p31uYFb9r9y83aDP53O5MPYCGIekaUfrF0czLSDixPhc8f-0Vg0MHwSKJpC5FUqrz0xiH/s1600/LETS+GETREADY+TO+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiqzCk6nAswoaNlFRNb6l0YGO1w0HZvqwDMHtJQTeSfSE86JSo2eo_D64WImDbkieLHpTYx2p31uYFb9r9y83aDP53O5MPYCGIekaUfrF0czLSDixPhc8f-0Vg0MHwSKJpC5FUqrz0xiH/s1600/LETS+GETREADY+TO+%25281%2529.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh hi
there. I just burned my left index finger on a heat gun and thought it
would make a great excuse for a spot of IRN BRU and blogging. There's
this project I've been working on - you see, I got family coming over: my mum,
bother and a Roger (who's like family anyway), and only one bedroom to spare
between them. It’s not really a question
of space, not really, as we got plenty of that here in <i>chez nous</i>… more so, the rooms we have
available are <i>sort
of scary</i>. Picture this: forcing ma
into the haunted attic while Roger takes the cellar of horrors. Or have my bro sleep with the spiders in the
abandoned toilet behind our kitchen. As
much as the idea of traumatising our houseguests for life attracts me, the time is ripe for some good old fashioned painting and decorating. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <i>chambre</i> we chose to do up as the second
spare room, is situated on the ground floor and has been largely disused due to
an old leak in the ceiling. Naturally, this was something we fixed straight away upon moving in, but the space remained
somewhat of an afterthought until now.
Filled to the brim with tools, doggy stuff and disused furniture, it was not a part of the house I was particularly proud of. In truth, my distain of this room runs much
deeper than I would like to admit, largely because there is <i>actually very little wrong with it.</i> Sure it’s hideous and dated, but everything
is in such good nick! The ceramic tiles,
for example, as offensive as they are, have been laid by a skilled professional
to be perfectly level and the revoltingly orange wood panelling is as good as
the day it was installed. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIRWAqoP64t7eArN0ZCBc6vI7k5mBHyDQSwgbzPP0HGH7hkJ9m3SG3n4hXTgBkoJ8BMvKNOGFrsvWyZhX8rCuOkkkk6qd661Y7Tk1llvW_BZ8F2-9pRKSSnnuAVNM4OtK2ZsGi5BQ550w/s1600/chair+room+before.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIRWAqoP64t7eArN0ZCBc6vI7k5mBHyDQSwgbzPP0HGH7hkJ9m3SG3n4hXTgBkoJ8BMvKNOGFrsvWyZhX8rCuOkkkk6qd661Y7Tk1llvW_BZ8F2-9pRKSSnnuAVNM4OtK2ZsGi5BQ550w/s1600/chair+room+before.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A shoddy real estate picture versus how we left the place having removed some wallpaper and fixed a leaky roof.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />And I
hate that. I detest the fact that there
is <i>nothing really wrong with this room</i>
and how that makes me feel like a wasteful idiot for wanting to change
everything about it just because <i>it is monstrously ugly</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But how
do you deal with dated décor, in a way that utilises all available resources to their best potential?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Impossible dilemma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This space was scrapped in the late seventies
or early eighties, presumably to turn it into a granny flat for someone who was
unable to get up the stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
renovations were done with care and good expense my guess would be it
might have been commissioned by one of the past proprietors for
themselves or for a relative of theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consequently,
no part of the original floor remains, neither a trace of the old fireplace, but
the built-in cupboard/wardrobe was left untouched as was the circa 1910 wooden framed window – the only one left in the whole house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with the nauseating mix of retro
finishes, I think this turd can be polished without ripping the place apart,
hopefully, resulting in a beautifully layered mix of old and new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKEAemwDyLZIdyrJfUNObKt-hozfE3D14WpGLDiV3yfZUe8BMn9zz3Krf5PJw0si1uUilMltCy-6SfdAq6WWs_-4sp5yKM6Opy2Eovap8GgGlFR6Y25bnAcxBKZ-IgrdzJFcP84gdlkzh/s1600/chair+room+decoration.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKEAemwDyLZIdyrJfUNObKt-hozfE3D14WpGLDiV3yfZUe8BMn9zz3Krf5PJw0si1uUilMltCy-6SfdAq6WWs_-4sp5yKM6Opy2Eovap8GgGlFR6Y25bnAcxBKZ-IgrdzJFcP84gdlkzh/s1600/chair+room+decoration.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As jobs
come, this one is right up my alley; being a painter by trade, I know how to
spruce things up with a shade or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s
the plan - not only will I be treating the ceiling and walls, scraping, sanding
and painting all the woodwork including the orangey tongue & groove
panelling, but painting the tiled floor as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already bought the paints, (more about
those later) but before the fun begins every surface needs to be prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dearest James, who’s commuting back and
forth between his job in the UK and Mazamet, was here to help me kick start it
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wielded the wallpaper kettle
like a champion and managed to get rid of all wallpaper and their respected liners. The more recent of the two layers from was already gone when we started – shoddily installed 90’s orange, but a thick
layer of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjbrm5r5QCdowwF2UkQifoakyySNBS5ABFAF9oKXpyHpRShOzvH_EP6i6if7XP7ENxTipRwEclhCD3xKt18CsY0OoFMGHoAeIKQqM2IFkagOP_0uzu5VMto8WQJ2-dUqgSMT8BfyF8VfQ/s1600/tropical.png" target="_blank">80’s Miami Cool</a></i> took for
ever to steam off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took my trusted <i>Mac
Allister</i> to the wood panelling and sanded away as much of the surface lacquer
as I could. It was the first of many sanding jobs to come and, as I later discovered
to my utter dismay, the easiest one by a streak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-JE-JrLD-qT8DtuQa2kVyKMco9C0GtNeZl3kPzOG_9uaAmDF8k1BqQXNt2EqWQkeh-x5VV2CCciOGo9x_zc8C4wLfetlKm7YYOAyynr_e-IGypVXg2XycRFGpGHOcpO-DyORrQuExD_s/s1600/chair+room+before+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-JE-JrLD-qT8DtuQa2kVyKMco9C0GtNeZl3kPzOG_9uaAmDF8k1BqQXNt2EqWQkeh-x5VV2CCciOGo9x_zc8C4wLfetlKm7YYOAyynr_e-IGypVXg2XycRFGpGHOcpO-DyORrQuExD_s/s1600/chair+room+before+4.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Faded but still there - hand stencilled diamond pattern and remnants of florals</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Underneath
all that mouldy wallpaper, we discovered some interesting fragments from the
past: a faded but clearly visible art deco paint job including a painted frame
for a mirror or a picture (presumably of religious nature) and remnants of an older
floral motif, both stencilled straight onto the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All too far gone to be kept, sadly, but a
lovely thing to uncover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A weekend’s
worth of serenity later, I continued the gig by patching up a few holes with
plaster and skimming over anything uneven, followed by another run with the
sander, this time leaving me, the dog and everything else in walking distance
from us covered in plaster dust. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To
continue with the theme of creating a huge mess, I started to prepare the
tongue and groove ceiling for a lick of paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beyond where the old leak had damaged the paint job, it was in decent
nick and looked like an easy scrape and sand job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No such thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, in fact, soul destroying and seemed to
go on for days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad would be proud to
hear I was wearing my protective mask all the way through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No goggles though, and listen up boys and girls, this is why you should always wear them: little sharps
of paint can be really f*cking painful when they lodge themselves into your
eyes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But goggles steam up – it’s irritating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It would
make an interesting philosophical point to debate whether one gets more
irritated with slashed eyes or blurred vision while sanding, but for
everyone’s sanity, I won’t bother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do as
I say, kiddos, not as I do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7HAkFmvpspJOaa2QueGRdGp9-uEQYqXE3UCBXZaLTKbzqMdovB4WRRtpv6pjvp-Y_JgXanYHdWKgYgnvfI_zWfBqg69Dk1kxs7VPPFny6s0tHhHXjMiOXhtBW7uRktQmboDqlDKxluuR/s1600/scraping+paint.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7HAkFmvpspJOaa2QueGRdGp9-uEQYqXE3UCBXZaLTKbzqMdovB4WRRtpv6pjvp-Y_JgXanYHdWKgYgnvfI_zWfBqg69Dk1kxs7VPPFny6s0tHhHXjMiOXhtBW7uRktQmboDqlDKxluuR/s1600/scraping+paint.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Two sides of a door frame, one with layers upon layers of floss and the other stripped bare. In the middle you see just a few of these lovely layers of paint.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And all
this brings us back to the heat gun – the last instrument on my list of sorrows
before the painting begins. Well, I do
actually love this part. It is time
consuming for sure, but isn’t it great to see the different layers of paint
melting away before your eyes, revealing near-virginal woodwork? Revealing traces of old paints, layer upon
layer, decade after decade, makes me feel like Indiana Jones. So you know, before everything got slathered
with salmon pink, the woodwork in this room was cream white, yellow, light turquoise, teal, sage green, concrete grey and finally, deep chocolate brown, all brilliantly
reflecting the changing fashions of different decades. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those
not too familiar with painting and decorating basics, removing layers of old
paint does have benefits beyond getting to admire the tastes of previous
decorators and burning various parts of your body while operating a heat
gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oil gloss in particular is thick
stuff and a century’s worth of it can clog up the profile of your woodwork,
making it less refined and less pretty. Tons of the stuff can also prevent
doors and windows from opening and closing properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Likewise, there is a school of thought that believes in reducing the
paint build-up of radiators for more efficient distribution of heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can use a chemical paint stripper just as
well, but I don’t want to risk our dog messing around with that stuff... and I love
to watch the world burn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having
gone back to bare wood there’s always the option of not re-painting it, but
giving it a light sand and a protective coat of varnish, wax or oil of your
liking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But manage your expectations as
not all wood you will uncover will look stunning straight off the bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In old as well as modern homes, inferior wood
or knotty wood such as pine is often used on baseboards and trims instead of
more expensive hard woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of our
timber in this house, with the exception of our stunning oak staircase, is pine from the <i>Montagne Noire</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some like the look of it, some not and I will
just have to take each case as it comes and see what bits might look great <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">au naturel</i>. Like me, you might find evidence of old repairs and depending on the quality of the wood used, they can be treated to match the original woodwork. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Making everything
ready for paint has taken me just about a week with the aid of a wallpaper
kettle, electric sander and a heat gun – oh, and James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His contribution was massive as it would have
taken me twice as long to steam those walls on a ladder!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And material wise, I’ve used half a bag of
patching plaster, so around a kilo of the stuff, as well as a bit of polyfilla
that I found from the back of the cupboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The paint colours are picked, bought and ready to go as well as my
rollers and a mystery stencil for the floor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_VuLUudR8VFLiVGfmCRbtQR0Km61UosyNKh8RcjF-QZX22G9_qgvl4S0QZJyWv1ufzPD_yOJNz51YWd5dbELKhqZal4swEZIBcTxPC2eANENe1QkEOwGHq_y9K4dmkR4sYdXPGHw6NFM/s1600/rusty+is+helping.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_VuLUudR8VFLiVGfmCRbtQR0Km61UosyNKh8RcjF-QZX22G9_qgvl4S0QZJyWv1ufzPD_yOJNz51YWd5dbELKhqZal4swEZIBcTxPC2eANENe1QkEOwGHq_y9K4dmkR4sYdXPGHw6NFM/s1600/rusty+is+helping.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, he is helping...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, this
is where I am at with my mission of eradicating forbidding spare rooms
in our house: fingers full of burns, blisters and what have you, but very
happy about the progress made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">AND, during my sabbatical in the UK, while I was neglecting this blog, I made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chez nous</i> an Instagram account!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check us out and give me a shout out
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/cheznous21/" target="_blank">@cheznous21</a> – I’d love to hear what you guys think. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Next blog
will be all about ‘dat paint, ‘dat paint.. no dribbles. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-18339452212802833122018-04-12T16:32:00.001+02:002018-04-12T16:32:49.195+02:00Colin the Camper Van <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEabdfsEF6fHxvcMRGUwRAiG7Xwf9p4o8zamE4vNIvunEy9Ehyphenhyphen_mOxs8PIELqT_5md_M02pGDc67wXjhQoEu2EWacTfZKkafEoIyI0nicDFLZq43r2o48TOf-LXqMRkb8d-PokzbJn-57m/s1600/colin+the+camper.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEabdfsEF6fHxvcMRGUwRAiG7Xwf9p4o8zamE4vNIvunEy9Ehyphenhyphen_mOxs8PIELqT_5md_M02pGDc67wXjhQoEu2EWacTfZKkafEoIyI0nicDFLZq43r2o48TOf-LXqMRkb8d-PokzbJn-57m/s1600/colin+the+camper.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It’s been a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But hey, would you like to see my awesome camper van?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose making it this far, you really got
no other choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So without further due, let me
introduce you to Colin… Colin the Camper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s a converted Ford Transit circa 1988, with a solid service record,
2L petrol engine and enough room to sleep up to four people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The previous owners, a tidy elderly couple
who clearly pioneered the whole glamping thing before it was cool, kept
him in tip top condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1-MmZRMuxrW5xNi3O2N5s63JmVoC7WsqFvyR01NHpB-n34NNHRmg9QW8MBruBXLvEBElu07stKd_vp3L-XYUjnkDuQ_BDU04JmYE4I1f0GcjTUBHUixIL4OZDcWWItjNRo5hXcCuJSmX/s1600/colin+the+camper+compilation.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1-MmZRMuxrW5xNi3O2N5s63JmVoC7WsqFvyR01NHpB-n34NNHRmg9QW8MBruBXLvEBElu07stKd_vp3L-XYUjnkDuQ_BDU04JmYE4I1f0GcjTUBHUixIL4OZDcWWItjNRo5hXcCuJSmX/s1600/colin+the+camper+compilation.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /><br /></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yes, he is peak retro.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yes, I still can’t drive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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And yes, he was dirt cheap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Although he is ready to cruise
straight to sunny Margate or down to Costa del Sol, today if needed, I actually
have another usage in mind; we bought Colin to serve as my artist studio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Turns out renting studio space in our neck of the woods is near damn
impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either the potential land
lords are turned off by the idea of an artist splashing paints everywhere or
they are not dog friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than
compromise on our living space in the good old <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/my-other-house-is-boat.html" target="_blank">West Riding Kindred Spirit</a></i> I really wanted to find somewhere else
to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boat lacks natural daylight
and setting up a table for my things each day would just be too much hassle, especially
with Rusty nestling in my feet all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was getting pretty down about it all and lo and behold, it was my
wonderful James who thought about hunting down a camper van.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to see our Colin during the Easter
break and less than a week later we had him driven down from Nottingham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely no regrets, <i>not yet anyway</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Sure, t</span>he interior needs to be updated, the engine
needs regular tender love & care and I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE, but I am
over the moon to have a working space again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYOUqtXoR1NGJJFDxxECRzfCITxqmHUqHB8Yw1S_30t-thqUO6r-aGFxgxfn5cOd9Uz2xU1i9lyuEPVM0dMnf8LeVYMOzGziv7f_yy4p8NgeCzXgvG59HW9oFaHvvFACPTzdCCfdpkcy1/s1600/rusti+duo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYOUqtXoR1NGJJFDxxECRzfCITxqmHUqHB8Yw1S_30t-thqUO6r-aGFxgxfn5cOd9Uz2xU1i9lyuEPVM0dMnf8LeVYMOzGziv7f_yy4p8NgeCzXgvG59HW9oFaHvvFACPTzdCCfdpkcy1/s1600/rusti+duo.png" /></a></div>
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In other news, we will be back in France soon, mid-May in fact, and I am
itching to crack on with the renovations <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chez
Nous</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our absence we had some lovely tenants
from the UK staying over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucy with her
partner bravely took on our bohemian den for a few month and you can read about
how they got on <a href="http://www.lucieloves.co.uk/blog/2018/2/18/lucie-loves-travel-a-little-life-update-from-mazamet-france" target="_blank">here</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing her amazing
photography is really inspiring me to do better in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m even thinking about setting up a <i>chez nous</i>
instagram account – what do you guys think of that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Together with making art again, it would be great to get back to regular blogging, I’ve
just been lacking the motivation lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s hope the summer will inspire me to crack on with it...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Barton-under-Needwood, Burton-on-Trent DE13, Yhdistynyt kuningaskunta52.7646717 -1.723207799999954752.7550632 -1.7433777999999547 52.7742802 -1.7030377999999546tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-77180546425297667102018-01-23T17:14:00.001+01:002018-01-23T17:14:20.041+01:00How to Cook Like a Granny<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOEdRazVXdr8D0jMmsJCa4M61wx0Pz00SsEK_bCz_-foJb-fRrOLxr248By2JZo68T1DxYQ6T58yPHvvnuS7rexft3VsOzIVTWcRnJJZ7iwQ3PhGxQmLWA6gDXvQ2Es9HnJTQoacWvZdk/s1600/how+to+cook+like+a+granny.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOEdRazVXdr8D0jMmsJCa4M61wx0Pz00SsEK_bCz_-foJb-fRrOLxr248By2JZo68T1DxYQ6T58yPHvvnuS7rexft3VsOzIVTWcRnJJZ7iwQ3PhGxQmLWA6gDXvQ2Es9HnJTQoacWvZdk/s1600/how+to+cook+like+a+granny.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/Tmz8FThN_BE" target="_blank">NordWood Themes via Unsplash</a></span></td></tr>
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Did you make any resolutions for 2018? Mine is to stay somewhat sane and learn how to make sourdough. We may also, after a year of heavy contemplation, start building our dream kitchen <i>Chez Nous</i>. </div>
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<a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/my-modular-kitchen.html" target="_blank">Our current kitchen was always meant as a temporary solution</a>. Besides from a pretty porcelain sink in the corner, there were but a single electrical outlet and three built in cupboards to work with. To fit in a bit of practicality, i.e. a worktop, fridge and the likes, we had to block one door completely and obstruct the usage of another. Not ideal, but actually worked pretty well for us. Later we improved the space even further by swapping some of our modular elements for a stunning <i>Art Deco</i> buffet and cutting off the steal framed hood that did very little else besides from looking ugly and stopping James from standing straight when washing the dishes. Addition of two more electrical sockets made a world of difference, too, but we still need to shuffle things around if we wish to use the microwave and the hotplate at the same time. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6Lz2m3fdNJ6VbhbB0Vi-tyFDq1ZwATWLHR1BJm04c1PSlALwEj4RdQnRHcPSCchBcbyyiXaYY2-jvHP0ZJHNr8JT4hNnHL6Wdvxu67YcF3Dv3pHU7KR9pCUP3xz2kcfDQqu2wJzZEm6d/s1600/kitchen+duo+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6Lz2m3fdNJ6VbhbB0Vi-tyFDq1ZwATWLHR1BJm04c1PSlALwEj4RdQnRHcPSCchBcbyyiXaYY2-jvHP0ZJHNr8JT4hNnHL6Wdvxu67YcF3Dv3pHU7KR9pCUP3xz2kcfDQqu2wJzZEm6d/s1600/kitchen+duo+1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our modular kitchen almost a year ago...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJab8-qMLaSouCqajDzcKGnBh_E-Rzhhth8LFlYrZRJPllxKmHcdOioLbDVdlMB7652wcjODP1ntRJKITNiVi7x0uE6lkpjwmg-Td3edhMiXKbeVRjPYxB_xvjF6MT449_Hg_QWrvZFHnw/s1600/art+deco+unit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJab8-qMLaSouCqajDzcKGnBh_E-Rzhhth8LFlYrZRJPllxKmHcdOioLbDVdlMB7652wcjODP1ntRJKITNiVi7x0uE6lkpjwmg-Td3edhMiXKbeVRjPYxB_xvjF6MT449_Hg_QWrvZFHnw/s1600/art+deco+unit.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and the latest addition. This appalling collage of appalling photos is supposed to give you an idea of what our new art deco unit looks like. What did you say, a child did these? Darling, don't be a hater! Bad photos are still better than no photos.. right? </td></tr>
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Long story short, functional as our little kitchen is, we simply want more space.<br />
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The two of us cook a fair bit and generally enjoy spending time in the kitchen. Currently every inch of space serves a function and does not yield any room for leisure or socialising and certainly not for not dining. Cooking elaborate meals, especially in the weekends is something I and James love to do together, but there is frankly not enough space to do it comfortably. Our dining room, although adjoined to the kitchen, feels very separate and does not allow much communication between people dining in and the cook. For structural reasons, opening up the wall between the two spaces is not practical, thus we have decided to convert the dining room into a joint kitchen-diner. The room is certainly big enough and it has direct access to our favourite part of our home, <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/le-grand-balcon-setting-up-outdoor.html" target="_blank">a large north facing balcony</a>. </div>
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Like anything else in our house, this plan is not without complications: first up, plumbing and electrics need to be well planned out before calling in the cavalry and the ceiling needs to be re-plastered. But before anything else, we want to start it all off by replacing our narrow french door that opens into the balcony with a walls worth of bi-folding windows. Once this is all done we will need to re-finish the century old oak planks on the floor, remove the fireplace (that will be later reinstalled elsewhere) and start building our kitchen cabinetry. This project will take a few years and may or may not begin next summer, depending on how much money we got flying around and the how long it takes to install the panoramic window. That part will need to be done by professionals - replacing a whole exterior wall with glass is something I bluntly do not want to be responsible for. </div>
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You may think with all this waiting I may be anxious to start already - hah, and you would be dead right. We have already started hoarding components for our new awesome kitchen diner, the latest piece being an antique wood burning cooker. </div>
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I know, I know... a bit obsolete isn't it, but they are lovely! First we seriously thought about getting a reconditioned AGA and even visited a small business that would be willing to ship and install one for us in France. In the end, it turned out that they could only build us an electrical one as the gas or wood burning models were not fitted by their French agent. More and more we thought about the matter, it seemed that both of us would prefer something more period accurate and started looking for solid fuel ranges online. Sympathetic restoration of old properties has never really been the rage in France and old cast iron cookers do crop up at online markets like <i>Le Bon Coin</i> pretty regularly. </div>
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It is sad how commonplace it is to dispose antique kitchen elements in favour of, for arguments sake, IKEA flat packs. Beyond their historical and decorative value, old cast iron ranges can be made to work with a bit of elbow grease and are not that complicated to use. They chuck out good amount of heat in the winter and being mostly great big lumps of iron, they do stay warm for longer than your average modern wood burner. Sure, not nearly as environmental and efficient as their modern counterparts, using an old one is still safe and easy as long as you understand basic principles behind heating with wood and take good care of your chimney. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSMPztofWHwkq2dxg4I8WypxubxH77F2y3SK9g6enuoZ21gJsmmwXMSDLHxIp7Nj_NNt8kxVbstu_fJ8vsTDxBU4Ft1MPGP8yyDSCvWVI8ta-uLsoQMT19ZUDcvOfsnHfw2IyAG4BwLMR/s1600/woodburner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSMPztofWHwkq2dxg4I8WypxubxH77F2y3SK9g6enuoZ21gJsmmwXMSDLHxIp7Nj_NNt8kxVbstu_fJ8vsTDxBU4Ft1MPGP8yyDSCvWVI8ta-uLsoQMT19ZUDcvOfsnHfw2IyAG4BwLMR/s1600/woodburner.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't let this phone camera horror show fool you - there is a beautiful stove hidden in there.<br />Somewhere.<br /></td></tr>
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We found our late 1920's solid fuel cooking stove online for a measly 100 euros. Compared to even a second hand AGA, and deducting possible restoration costs, we are looking at three grands worth of savings, which is music to my ears already. I also think this one is more beautiful. It is about a meter wide and 80 centimetres deep, standing a little lower than a standard modern day worktop, and has two ovens, two adjustable hot plates and a water tank - everything a pre-electical era housewife could ask for. You load it through the top, after lifting out the left hand hotplate, and clean the ashes from a draw below. This type of cooker is a pleasure to use once you get used to it - I can confirm this as my granny had one, albeit hers was Finnish and twice as big. I would, though, recommend having an alternative mean of cooking as a reserve for the times you want food fast or it is too hot to fire up the old beast. We already use a portable induction plate in our modular temp kitchen and it will continue to serve us from time to time in the new one. </div>
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Although reasonably small, this cast iron stoves is heavy as sin and could not be transported home in our trusted Laguna, but thankfully a friend gave us a hand. I stayed at home as the boys boarded his's Kangoo and headed towards Albi. Let me make it clear that it happen before any red wine was consumed, but on the way back the Kangoo, our new stove and the merry men took a steep turn to a roundabout, causing the lump of iron to tilt suddenly on one of its legs, twisting it and sending what was now a few hundred kilos of instant regret against one of the minivans windows, braking said window and releasing loose cooker parts flying onto the road. Long story short; no people were harmed in the bundle, but the van was left with a smashed window and the cooker with a broken set of cast iron rings. </div>
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So if you know a skilled craftsman that could make us a new cast iron hotplate I would be very grateful to have their number. </div>
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Even after the dramatic turn on to the roundabout of shame, the piece is still in pretty good nick for its age. Ignoring those few broken rings and a twisted back leg, the restoration will be mostly a cosmetic one: removing the extensive surface rust from the top and some from the chrome safety rail, re-lining both ovens with clay and patch up a few coin sized holes in the enamel. Only thing needing to be replaced completely is the water tank that is nearly rusted through, but commissioning what is basically a stainless steal box should not be too difficult. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2saMrdXii1nsUaqDWxyY0L-jhtZYhKe_w7I-UslvtV4YsQ8dhBaZABylVJxgkL8pTNuB_VSu5PMHTSzKlXDcYPq5gjdrScrGQhDzQowZoEezEjlM2aOl8y11TAljE16KOOpTbS6XdelY/s1600/woodburning+cooker.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2saMrdXii1nsUaqDWxyY0L-jhtZYhKe_w7I-UslvtV4YsQ8dhBaZABylVJxgkL8pTNuB_VSu5PMHTSzKlXDcYPq5gjdrScrGQhDzQowZoEezEjlM2aOl8y11TAljE16KOOpTbS6XdelY/s1600/woodburning+cooker.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cooker is nearly identical to ours and for sale in Samur ;)</td></tr>
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I had no change to photograph our beautiful cooker before it was transported <i>Chez Nous</i> and dumped into my studio and the ones my husband took later were <i>ehem</i>.. a bit blurry, so I thought I ought to find images of a similar one for you to look at. This burgundy one caught my eye and it is near identical to ours besides from the colour. The condition is incredibly good and as far as I can tell, it is only missing a part of its safety rail - and that could easily be replaced. The blood red seductress is <a href="https://mes-occasions.com/p/cuisiniere-montherme-326683" target="_blank">for sale in lovely city of Samur</a> - in case you would like one of your own. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHrxJ1DSLTos8-8k6B31s_JD-2Ex9R9Gg2rtXdNU-LfM88mChWVoR_YcQ4OJbjWIwu3nCGnK1YQ7S8f5hcrxR4Y4OiUptdcXAqYug4WtVDTJY-Hd3e1n0ZygwaAsPZvIJElUMaib73FDF/s1600/woodburning+cooker2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHrxJ1DSLTos8-8k6B31s_JD-2Ex9R9Gg2rtXdNU-LfM88mChWVoR_YcQ4OJbjWIwu3nCGnK1YQ7S8f5hcrxR4Y4OiUptdcXAqYug4WtVDTJY-Hd3e1n0ZygwaAsPZvIJElUMaib73FDF/s1600/woodburning+cooker2.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this model, the wood goes in through the left hand side hotplate.</td></tr>
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The reason we wanted to opt for a wood burning cooker was simple - cutting down on our reliance on gas whilst avoiding huge electricity bills. Burning locally grown wood, especially in a modern energy efficient stove is one of the most environmentally friendly ways of releasing energy - something I feel quite strongly about. Although our cooker will not have the specs of a modern Scandinavian-style wood burner, we do have access to cheap firewood grown on the <i>Montagne Noire</i>, literally less than twenty minute drive away from our house. That will make a world of difference compared to the price we pay for our logs in the UK, which we buy in bulk from a local supplier but are grown and packed in Latvia. </div>
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You can't beat a good gas fired range when it comes to reliability, but the routine of cranking up a wood burning one is something I wholeheartedly enjoy. James and I both have enough confidence in our cooking skills to know what to expect, especially after making meals on top of our little stove here on the <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/my-other-house-is-boat.html" target="_blank">West Riding Kindred Spirit</a> on a regular basis. Having said that, a thermometer for the ovens would not be a bad thing to get. And a really thick pair of oven mittens. I am not much of a baker, but I got a long list of traditional Finnish dishes lined up to try once our cooker is in operation. It is nothing too fancy: rye bread, root vegetable casseroles, karelian pies, baked porridge... - just your typical northern comfort foods that lack a certain <i>je ne sais quoi</i> when made in a conventional oven.<br />
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I promise to invite you all for tea and pie when it is all done. Do not wait by the phone though, it may take a few years to make this plan to a reality. In the mean time, you will find me browsing pinterest for wood burner suitable recipes and tile inspo. </div>
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...à tout à l'heure! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com1Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-67572498139141400702018-01-10T18:04:00.000+01:002018-01-10T18:04:29.992+01:00The Ghost of Christmas Past <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPJh1bIQYcfO1HeftnwxiK77wbqDm945rCWZdCHXc3b2XVDbEwbgX0QVmf4wrEf7WFLlbVaR57yurGwHV6goOGsCTfUuNsoe1d4JBbv2iYEXvRRd0XVzHCgpOo3GQyfjMTQpJibQzGwjb/s1600/A+Ghost+of+Christmas+Past.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPJh1bIQYcfO1HeftnwxiK77wbqDm945rCWZdCHXc3b2XVDbEwbgX0QVmf4wrEf7WFLlbVaR57yurGwHV6goOGsCTfUuNsoe1d4JBbv2iYEXvRRd0XVzHCgpOo3GQyfjMTQpJibQzGwjb/s1600/A+Ghost+of+Christmas+Past.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've been neglecting you haven't I. But then again, I have been neglecting my family, my dog and my husband in particular so you're in no way special position. </span></div>
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What can I say for my defence... it's the holidays! You are supposed to spend time together; quietly contemplate the meaning of Christmas and be merry in your togetherness with a glass of mulled wine whilst wearing a stupid post ironic statement jumper. That sounds just lovely. It really does. Just don't shit a brick when you find yourself swept away by the realities of hosting a Christmas: all that cleaning and cooking. Keeping in mind that you are a capable adult is not going to help matters at all, not at Christmas, <i>oh no</i>, and especially when there are presents to be unwrapped and candy canes ready to be suckled into sharp shanks. You will pull through it, just like every Christmas before this one, just don't let the existential dread set in. Not too closely anyway.<br />
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I repeat: DO NOT LET IT SET IN.<br />
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We, James, Rusty and I, travelled home for the holidays. <i>Chez Nous</i> in Mazamet that is. Where, after a few variably chilly months in the good old <i>West Riding Kindred Spirit</i>, we were greeted by a warm and cosy house thanks to our wonderful friends who looked after her for us. And boy, I tell you, it was great to be back. Even the dog went a bit bonkers at first. A rescue with abandonment issues on top of his abandonment issues, he couldn't believe we were back at our regular old house and just kept running up and down the corridors and stairs. I do like living on a boat, honestly, but nothing beats your own bed and a good central heating system.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qBJfcph-Gs44udaBT4coJYkQzcmJYFqOUl5cX2fjmw9-5lJAe92s7pgwGWHyjOnLPu4yqsfytQiDmo2ukq5hSTKzFXxkQ9JTYvU9MCMPSLpkhCSVedgY79THCfBVux_O5v_7_bGh5VIX/s1600/RUSTY+BRITTANY+FERRIES.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qBJfcph-Gs44udaBT4coJYkQzcmJYFqOUl5cX2fjmw9-5lJAe92s7pgwGWHyjOnLPu4yqsfytQiDmo2ukq5hSTKzFXxkQ9JTYvU9MCMPSLpkhCSVedgY79THCfBVux_O5v_7_bGh5VIX/s1600/RUSTY+BRITTANY+FERRIES.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleepy Rusty settling in for his first cruise in a cabin.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Oh, and just to mention, to get to France, we took the ferry as usual, but chose a dog friendly cabin for the first time. Although he was not over the moon about needing to be muzzled on the short walk to our cabin, Rusty loved it. He does not mind the car either, but certainly for overnights I'll be keeping my eyes out for these in the future. Brittany Ferries even gave us a little doggy-goodie bag with a collapsible wateterbowl, treats, poobags and a rope toy in it. What's not to like. </div>
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To our mutual surprise, the roof over our kitchen had only leaked a little bit. Sounds very damning when you say it like that, but the alternative would have been a lot and I was incredibly happy the situation had not gone worse. Due to dismal weather right before we left for UK in October we did not have an opportunity to set things right beforehand, but that roof was going to get it this time. James had already purchased some felting so all we needed to do was to wait for the rain to stop to get cracking.<br />
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I never put down felt on a roof before, but it turned out to be easy as pie. Good thing, as we quickly realised the damaged part of roof with an array of ancient terracotta tiles was not going to take the weight of a grown man and pretty much all of the grunt fell on my shoulders. The damaged area was roughly five meters times two meters in size and from start to finish it took me five to six hours to remove and relay the existing old tiles plus a few spanking new replacements. Laying down the felt once the tiles were removed was not too bad, but clearing the thick layer of rubble that used to sit under the terracotta turned out to be a real time killer. If we didn't know this part of roof is to be ripped out, raised and replaced in a few years time, I would have replaced all of the woodwork as well, but in these circumstances that would have been a bit wasteful. So, I merely replaced a few completely rotted planks and blocked a hole or two before covering it all with felt and tiles.<br />
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Out of sight, out of mind, they say.<br />
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And rock me sideways, there have been no leaks since and the only damaged party turned out to be James' ego after he was told off for running errands and letting his wife work like a man. There will be no photos of this expedition as I did not want my dad ever to come across pictorial evidence of me dangling on roof without safety gear. *<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Please for the love of God - always were the appropriate safety gear. Do not do as I do, do as I say. </span><br />
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But what I did manage to photograph was some pretty charming 1920's wallpaper I uncovered while stripping the walls of our lounge. I had seen little slivers of it before, but the steamer allowed me to uncover parts previously hidden by 1940's, 70's and 00's wallpaper, revealing for the first time the complete pattern of this floral <i>art nouveau</i> gem. The results of the strip, if you will, will be revealed later. Not for any other reason that I forgot to snap a few photos. Dang, there creeps the existential dread again..<br />
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DO NOT LET IT SET IN!</div>
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Decorating what is basically a building site for the holidays could be challenging. We got a lovely little tree, (still in its pot and currently in our garden waiting for next Christmas) that immediately made everything look festive and James drove me to the mountains to nick few bits of evergreen to dump on the mantelpieces. And it looked great, even if I say so myself. We even got ourselves a little piece of mistletoe from the Mazamet market. I put fairylights on <i>everything</i> and let me tell you, you could make Draculas grave look cosy with that stuff.<br />
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Perhaps it is because we are both blind to it already, James and I don't mind the cracked plaster nor the half stripped wallpaper anymore. It is our home regardless. Even if our budget for this renovation was bottomless, I think we would still prefer to take things easy, live in our house and make the decisions regarding future finished and layout when it feels right rather than as soon as possible. It would be so easy to fall into the same trap with the previous owners of our house and try to keep the ageing building liveable by cheap cosmetic fixes like wallpapering on top of damp or covering up tiles in vinyl rather than taking care of them.<br />
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We have been privileged to call the N<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">°</span>21 our home for over a year now and it's been tough at times. The little time we had to spend in Mazamet during the holidays wasn't nearly enough and every bit of me just wants to go back home. To my own bed, my central heating and my bath. Yet I recognise time spent away is temporary and necessary, for me and James to be together a bit more, but also to raise enough capital to afford the next face of our renovation - and that will be something to look forward to.<br />
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Stay tuned and remember, DO NOT LET THE EXISTENTIAL DREAD SET IN.<br /><br />DON'T LET IT SET IN. </div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-63749999300381526682017-12-01T16:27:00.002+01:002017-12-01T16:27:32.182+01:00My other house is a boat... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There comes a point in every
marriage where your husband walks up to you and asks <i>how would you feel about living on a narrowboat my little sausage</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Oh, they generally <i>don’t</i>, you say? Must just me and my James then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Here we are regardless, on a boat! Being
either naïve, stupid or both, I said yes in a heartbeat. The winter months in Mazamet are incredibly
calm; when it gets cold and grey, <i>everything</i>
slows down. In fact, the colder it gets,
more sluggish it is, up to a point where even the never-tiring labour of atoms comes
to a halt and everything we love and cherish will cease to exist. <i>Wait</i>
– I might have accidentally described you the absolute freezing point, but I
hope you catch my drift. Winter is not
the best season by the<i> Montagne Noire</i>. So, to cut a long story short, as James works
in the UK anyway, I thought I might as well join him on <i>the Kindred Spirit</i> with our little pupper Rusty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The house will wait patiently for our return in the spring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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As narrowboats come, <i>The West Riding</i> <i>Kindred Spirit</i> is a pretty typical one;
basically, a floating one-bedroom apartment clad in wood – with a kick-ass log
burner. Once you get used to the
narrowness of it, the boat is more comfortable than many flats I have lived in;
it is bigger than my first apartment and far more comfortable. Our unusual accommodation does not feel like
a compromise either. The lounge is nice
and cosy, and so is the snuck bedroom with a double bed and a wardrobe. Our galley is roughly the same size as our
kitchen <i>chez nous</i>, but with the added
convenience of fitted cabinetry, a gas hob and an oven. The bathroom too boasts all the modern
conveniences including a generously sized shower and a fixed cassette toilet. We a reliant on our mooring for electricity
as well as water, but when chucking down the canal system, a handy set of
leisure batteries keep us powered up.
The regular maintenance includes emptying the toilet around once a week,
keeping us stocked in gas, wood and coal and filling up the boats water tank
when needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>Kindred Spirit</i>, currently leased to
us, was built by its current owner, an electrical engineer with his dad who’s a
carpenter – and the expertise shows.
Every nook and cranny of the boat has been beautifully crafted and
finished with real wood. Storage has
been well thought out too, and there’s enough of it. Only thing I am missing at all is a fixed
dining area, but a foldable table is not bad either. The layout of the boat is pretty straight
forward: first up there is the lounge and the kitchen, followed by the
bathroom, our bedroom and finally some storage space in the engine room at the
back of the boat. I personally like how
they have divided the public living space from your private bedroom- and
storage space by placing the loo between the two. So far, we have had one quest staying with
us, on our handy sofa bed in the lounge, and the separation of space worked really
well for us and the dog. </span></div>
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<br />
<br />
And speaking of dogs - Rusty the dog, who has his bed set up right by the fire,
has settled in well, although there has been one of two Houdini-acts performed
while I was out on errands. It is tricky
to say whether he dislikes staying on the boat on his own, or if he would great-escape
his way out from our usual residence as well if the door wasn’t so secure. Once on board with us, though, he is as
relaxed as ever. Equally importantly, we
have settled in well, too. Neither James
or I have never lived on a boat before and leasing <i>Kindred Spirit</i> has felt right from the start. We both love the wood burner most; fiddling
with the fire is incredibly relaxing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Altogether, this feels like a great alternative to renting a flat, especially
considering the price of renting in England.
The biggest bonus is of course that unlike an apartment, it is not tied
to a specific location. Let’s say James’
work moves to London next month – we can move the boat with it. It has always been a big stressor for the self-employed
folks like him and I, the need to relocate ourselves where ever the work may be
at a moments notice, when the standard rental period is 9 months. The UK’s extensive canal network and the
ability to chug our home anywhere on it is a huge benefit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Other important aspects of the boat life I have embraced so far, and I am
trying really hard not to get too preachy here, are not just <i>economical</i> but <i>ecological</i>. Needing to be
aware of our usage of energy from seeing we have enough gas or logs and making
sure the electricity meter is topped up, makes me almost instinctively scaling
down our consumption. Also, as the
space, storage space in particular is at a premium, you think twice about
bringing in more stuff – often realising you can happily do without certain
objects and things altogether. The times
I do use up a lot of energy around the house, when cooking for instance, I
actively try to go with as little gas as possible. In practise this means keeping the kettle on
the log-burner rather than firing up the gas every time I want a cuppa or slow
cooking stew on it rather than roasting the meat in the oven. Having our food cooking on the residual heat
of the wood stove is incredibly satisfying.
And did I mention, you can toast crumpets on it too! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Don’t get me wrong, I will stay a material girl ‘till the day I die, but who
really needs to acquire every new book/film/gismo that is available to
buy? No doubt this newly found
self-awareness of my habits as a consumer will extend to my life in France and
have an impact on the things I purchase rather than borrow, store rather than sling. It is easy to advocate a life without
luxuries when you have a nice house full of nice stuff waiting for you in
France, but there we go. As the
alternative would have been renting another house or a flat, I think we have
done pretty well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Barton Marina, Barton Turn, Barton-under-Needwood, Burton upon Trent DE13 8DZ, Yhdistynyt kuningaskunta52.7596705 -1.707381299999951832.679048499999993 -43.015975299999951 72.8402925 39.601212700000048tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-69400864154736284802017-09-13T17:42:00.001+02:002017-09-13T17:42:33.003+02:00BLUSH - a two tone paint job<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE5zskHZQPsIO8NU0SNz5s9c4INYUG0j6ZSVt456FLm1jj3kI0pp6PzWsDNR4AxUL0JiHrZK2ASk8M1YdLm2dpchtczWlip4TXo_r_ZTKyU8UWABO4jKXJrO7s17iSM3tEPlOQrTPPSK-/s1600/two+tone+paint+job.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE5zskHZQPsIO8NU0SNz5s9c4INYUG0j6ZSVt456FLm1jj3kI0pp6PzWsDNR4AxUL0JiHrZK2ASk8M1YdLm2dpchtczWlip4TXo_r_ZTKyU8UWABO4jKXJrO7s17iSM3tEPlOQrTPPSK-/s1600/two+tone+paint+job.png" /></span></a></div>
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When the nights are drawing in and the trees turn golden, so does the painting
season come to a halt. In this damp old
house anyway. But before I got to pack
up those rollers for the winter and curl up on the sofa with a blanket and a cup
of earl grey, from where I greet you, Dear Reader, there was one goliath job to
finish: sorting out the walls of my artist studio. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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To be brutally honest, my atelier, the old <i>crèmerie</i>
on our ground floor, has been giving me grief ever since we moved in; from the
grimy cement tiles neglected to the brink of disrepair to the brittle
plasterwork covered in chipped gloss and a layer of mouldy wallpaper in the
most depressing shade of sunshine yellow, the space was an all-round disgrace. The wall-tiles that used to frame the space
were long gone, but the original double doors and two of the cupboards
remained. A third cabinet used to stand
by the wall. It was put together in the
early noughties by the previous owner to secure the electricity- and
gas-meters, but needed to be taken down to make way for a modern fuse board. All and all, the atelier needed sorting out: After half-arsed wallpaper removal and dismantling
and rebuilding the old locking mechanism that kept the double doors permanently
shut, <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2017/05/making-of-latelier-dart-part-1-floor.html" target="_blank">cleaning and restoring the floor</a> was the first big issue we tackled. That turned out to be, frankly, utter hell,
but throughout the course of the spring I muddled through. The cement tiles still show the wear and tear
of a century, but that is why I love them so.
Having been cleaned and resealed, they should be good for another
hundred years or so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfq-71x76Z_OvJmmjD96XGVc9jAZPPln-aQrzOpiUx4u1EQne8OJz8XPYUtit5pu4VRVaSR3HZRk4sWEbolVdM_DpLk4cJBqegF_bqdvVdilXCyvxfN9LZBYp5lsD_RcAm9IVzARvADZ7/s1600/IMG_2051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfq-71x76Z_OvJmmjD96XGVc9jAZPPln-aQrzOpiUx4u1EQne8OJz8XPYUtit5pu4VRVaSR3HZRk4sWEbolVdM_DpLk4cJBqegF_bqdvVdilXCyvxfN9LZBYp5lsD_RcAm9IVzARvADZ7/s1600/IMG_2051.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Just a few snaps of how the atelier looked like when we first moved in: The walls were covered tip to toe in mouldy yellow wallpaper and what was underneath turned out to be even worse... <br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<br /><br /><br />With the tiles looking fab and out of mind, I was finally able to set up a
working space for myself. A tobacco-coloured
ceiling got painted somewhere between the watercolours and I started scraping
paint from the doors. …And just like
that, it was summer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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And <i>what a summer</i> it was! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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As the mercury climbed from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties the newly
exposed plaster started to dry. It dried
slowly at first, feeling cool and damp to the touch – a strange contrast really
when the weather was as scalding as it was.
Then, as if overnight, it was completely dry… <i>and flaky</i>. Small cracks appeared
next to the old ones, the old ones growing into canyons, sending little feathers
of paint and whole chunks of plaster freefalling onto my freshly painted
canvases. <i>Not cool</i>, I thought. Upon
closer examination of my walls, it became evident that some clever dicky had
done a bit of patching up, using straight up lime plaster, rather poorly and
straight on top of existing gloss paint.
No wonder nothing was sticking up where it was supposed to! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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At this point I had two options – to find a way to make these walls stay at
least roughly wall-shaped or completely re-surface them from scratch. I like to do things properly or not at all,
but <i>hey-ho</i>, there’s a first time for
everything. <i>I made an exception.</i> James
and I had just agreed to spend some time away from Mazamet in the winter and
starting the plasterworks during the summer at hand was looking unlikely. I feared that if left untouched the plaster would
go from bad to worse during the long damp winter and so a decision was made to
bind them up with the toughest primer one could cook up, followed by a lick of
paint and return to the problem in a few years’ time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It may have not
been a tremendous plan, but any plan is better than no plan… <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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…right?!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Ib3ZlZzMwlj_DP9fkYlryPC3HV5D-3eybWL4ZeCKfCcj3i3RcgTiwAyUUryFYbFvgcPSOpluM_BDGgbc5ZxdQkDREX9Xe490LO_I0nKGR6jzFduvhLCYmpvXE06BYNg2Fac-dkZKOk4/s1600/before+and+after+artist+studio.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Ib3ZlZzMwlj_DP9fkYlryPC3HV5D-3eybWL4ZeCKfCcj3i3RcgTiwAyUUryFYbFvgcPSOpluM_BDGgbc5ZxdQkDREX9Xe490LO_I0nKGR6jzFduvhLCYmpvXE06BYNg2Fac-dkZKOk4/s1600/before+and+after+artist+studio.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />From a cracked up mess to... Barbie Dream House!<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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From the beginning I wanted to go for a two tone look as a nudge towards the
rooms half-tiled past and the colours I chose were a subtle blush pink with
plain old brilliant white. Not exactly
an epitome of timelessness, sure, but knowing this was to be a temporary fix I
wanted to play around a bit. I am not
the first or the last to jump on the <i>hipster
pink</i>-bandwagon, and that is fine by me.
Perhaps subconsciously all millennials such as myself are wishing to
recreate the Barbie Dream House our Gen-X parents refused to buy us? Perhaps it is because the Barbie Dream House
is all most of us can afford? For all I
know, this house has gone through so many colour palettes and so many tastes -
what’s one more in the grand scheme of things?
Besides, I thought it would look achingly cool. Isn’t that all that matters? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Now, boys and girls, try this out at your own risk – if you are not sure what
products to use on plastered or any walls, drop by at your local paint dealership
and ask around, there are qualified people being paid to help you not to cock
things up! I know a bit about paints and
was willing to take a few risks with this primer job because the walls were
already awful beyond the point of return.
After all, you can’t ruin something that’s already ruined. This is not painting and decorating as I know
it, it is damage management. Now, with
these words of caution, the primer I mixed was a combination of standard stain
blocker, white emulsion paint (mr. Brico value range) and standard PVA
glue. Oversimplifying a little, most
primers have adhesive qualities to allow them to stick firmly to the surface
being painted and to offer a support for a top coat. A good one has plenty of pigment for a
complete coverage as you would want a neutral base (most commonly white) for
the top colour of your choice. I was
willing to compromise on coverage in favour of ultra-stickiness to stop the
surface of my poor walls from crumbling any further. Adding PVA to the mix would also allow me to
use a non-oil based solution to cover up the existing blue gloss paint.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A66bc4pHM5EbwiEIXe4T6jXc6vIbQv4uW0HNFwitBCG9lqf8l2TtYtaFLZWvlb0PA0uvPkoum7HCHi4pOtEXvOzBxcKjZOuEjeaZYKwnkOc9VB8UiwI6-dpKtAcX9bfuFUPgPqJ13RzO/s1600/wallsbanda.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A66bc4pHM5EbwiEIXe4T6jXc6vIbQv4uW0HNFwitBCG9lqf8l2TtYtaFLZWvlb0PA0uvPkoum7HCHi4pOtEXvOzBxcKjZOuEjeaZYKwnkOc9VB8UiwI6-dpKtAcX9bfuFUPgPqJ13RzO/s1600/wallsbanda.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxHZ4rfciM3KyagAJ52Sqj64nKspz3h6fTh42Qf1NGc5yiq5o1ohBGdWKqDj-5eoKa3PQ9mOLGBMeH3t8AhX463qNwvANWNrEFmjYrUIDSeNmKG_6eetksiEm_pOJbGdpIvvFjmXstlUd/s1600/wallsbanda1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxHZ4rfciM3KyagAJ52Sqj64nKspz3h6fTh42Qf1NGc5yiq5o1ohBGdWKqDj-5eoKa3PQ9mOLGBMeH3t8AhX463qNwvANWNrEFmjYrUIDSeNmKG_6eetksiEm_pOJbGdpIvvFjmXstlUd/s1600/wallsbanda1.png" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XhGEL9CEbzqdc4Re9mjiHvSSpc5CvMNHOXuiKvj4qRSH64Vl6nWJXC7YGIhMteHZ_6655Be2HZRvqsyEbQvnYu4RuVLpGof-gU-omeMd4F67oE_bNGtLGcb_tOXst0VA0tF13AsT7fdU/s1600/wallsbanda2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XhGEL9CEbzqdc4Re9mjiHvSSpc5CvMNHOXuiKvj4qRSH64Vl6nWJXC7YGIhMteHZ_6655Be2HZRvqsyEbQvnYu4RuVLpGof-gU-omeMd4F67oE_bNGtLGcb_tOXst0VA0tF13AsT7fdU/s1600/wallsbanda2.png" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Here you can see the various stages of priming and painting. Last set of three images is illustrating the whole process from the beginning: First picture is taken right after the wallpaper was removed and the walls were cleaned with sugar soap. The ceiling has already been painted. Second image is showing the same wall with just a primer and the last one features the complete paint job with the white top coat and Rusty the Good Boy lounging by the door. </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Completely clogging up a wall with PVA is not exactly kosher: usually you would
like your plaster walls to breathe a little.
Stopping a wall from breathing can eventually lead to moisture problems
when condensation gets trapped under a layer of unsuitable paint and that, as
you must know by now Dear Reader, is like pissing in your own cereals, i.e. not
recommended. In my case, however,
sealing the plaster in a thick layer of unyielding primer was a necessary evil as
I could not have these walls deteriorating much further. Once the plaster is re-done – and when I say <i>re-done</i> I mean completely removing the
old and re-plastering from scratch, I will be choosing my products with more
care. To mention a few UK based
manufacturers, <a href="http://www.farrow-ball.com/" target="_blank">Farrow and Ball</a>, <a href="http://www.firedearth.com/paint" target="_blank">Fired Earth</a>, even the trusted old <a href="https://www.dulux.co.uk/en" target="_blank">Dulux </a>all
have products suitable for priming, sealing and painting various types of
plaster surfaces. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But to continue
on this priming journey - I chose to make my rather thinly pigmented primer
bubble gum pink by adding a few droplets of fuchsia and ochre pigments and
mixing thoroughly. As a visual artist I
got this stuff lying around, but if you wish to create your own custom tint, I
warmly recommend hoarding paint samples and mixing them as needed. By tinting my primer to the desired shade of
blush I would need to use “real” paint only on the <i>would-be-white</i> top halves of the walls. To completely cover up every last speck of
that blue gloss paint, I chose to use a highly pigmented matte white
emulsion. The <i>would-be-blush</i> bottom halves did not have an existing coat of paint
as they used to be tiled and thus required only a few layers of primer/sealant
to achieve an even coverage. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before starting the long process of priming and painting I tore off what was
left of the old rotten baseboards as well as the supports for the obsolete
electricity cabinet, washed the walls with diluted sugar soap and covered my
precious tiles with sheets of old wallpaper.
Remember boys and girls - reuse and recycle! As one would expect, a lot of the loose lime
plaster trickled off with a mere stroke, and plenty more came down when I was
washing the walls. In one or two places
I deliberately chipped off some half-arsed repairs that were never properly
bonded to the surface below. If plaster
has nothing to bond with, let’s say, when applied on top of smooth and
unyielding gloss paint, nothing will keep it in place, not even a turbo-charged
primer. In these circumstances I would
rather have lumpy walls with a few visual cracks than whole chunks of bad
plaster falling down with the slightest touch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Crude,<i> I know</i>, but I am happy to say
my butchery worked. After a couple of
coats of my special primer-brew the walls were set and crumbled no more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5KCQH67hNy7E7BjmwyvxZlA9PPnrmFYCVXfESmzBaxOpBYXPUmKeYjCxm8odRPvnpfPsXyOI5DXMxu3kK9MiCrxkA2VmCN3TNNAw4oSVgD_VxWB8mZD2RekfJybDCSjmQhaNNrMKHU_b/s1600/atelier12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5KCQH67hNy7E7BjmwyvxZlA9PPnrmFYCVXfESmzBaxOpBYXPUmKeYjCxm8odRPvnpfPsXyOI5DXMxu3kK9MiCrxkA2VmCN3TNNAw4oSVgD_VxWB8mZD2RekfJybDCSjmQhaNNrMKHU_b/s1600/atelier12.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Working out the divide between blush and white areas was easy as the line between
the old tiling and blue paint was still mostly visible despite of the odd
splodge of lime here and there. Painting
a neat line between two different shades of paint isn’t always easy, but where
I was able to follow the old tile-divide the job was done freehand with an
angle brush. Where I needed to work out
a line, a used a roller and some of masking tape. After the first layer of white paint had
dried, I used the same soft brush to loosely go over the bottom line all around
the room. Some like their divides extra
sharp, but I preferred a more organic look.
On balance, a bullet straight line in the middle of a lumpy wall would
look a bit silly, don’t you think? </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgImBz_GQLmAOCqfKUMY-yAbvlIZRO5gexWDp0D5Kr7MP9rT5UncCU-0UswW8fJrhivWlYTX3r-e-IawDzD4uCaDx5mkYkrKLwBsivMFakS_s5ZwYxTFX8OBcfNNvc3tzYmNxs-37O-Sq/s1600/afterwalls.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgImBz_GQLmAOCqfKUMY-yAbvlIZRO5gexWDp0D5Kr7MP9rT5UncCU-0UswW8fJrhivWlYTX3r-e-IawDzD4uCaDx5mkYkrKLwBsivMFakS_s5ZwYxTFX8OBcfNNvc3tzYmNxs-37O-Sq/s1600/afterwalls.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoB49OTqRBILDTbHZsVBJEfQIwXve3RGL8sYpoC8EcHEV9_2kI9CA-8JnF4TouugH-93SO89RDd3Nxkzkkh2_DE5Jz400d7py_OQNE8teoTfTevMWaOjeKLcBoCAGPz3VbH79ucTaENmAd/s1600/atelier2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoB49OTqRBILDTbHZsVBJEfQIwXve3RGL8sYpoC8EcHEV9_2kI9CA-8JnF4TouugH-93SO89RDd3Nxkzkkh2_DE5Jz400d7py_OQNE8teoTfTevMWaOjeKLcBoCAGPz3VbH79ucTaENmAd/s1600/atelier2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as I can
trace it, the blue gloss that was covered up with that ghastly deep yellow
wallpaper sometime in the late 90’s to early 00’, was only the latest of many
coats of paint in that room: Before the
baby blue, the room had a tint very similar to <a href="https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2017" target="_blank">Pantone’s colour of the year <i>Greenery</i></a> and before that, perhaps in the
days of the <i>crèmerie</i>, it was clad in
sophisticated warm grey. It took me
three coats of primer and tree coats of matte white to cover up these secrets,
at least for a few more years. More
slivers of history can be read from the woodwork that remains to be
restored. Surprisingly it seems, the
wood has always been painted – first in the same shade of grey as the walls of
the crèmerie, then treated with a woodgrain effect (lovely reminder how commissioning
a professional to create a look like that by hand used to be cheaper than just
simply using actual wood), and finally painted white, rather poorly may I add,
at the time the room was wallpapered. It
will remain to be seen how I will restore these details, but for the time being
I am most intrigued by attempting to recreate the wood grain affect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Artist studios have always been painted in light colours to reflect the maximum
amount of natural light. I have visited only a few that would be anything but
dominantly white or a specific shade of light grey. <i>The Art
School Grey</i>, as this colour is sometimes called, did cross my mind, but I
wanted something more playful to adorn the walls of my atelier. In the end, my own artworks have a certain frivolous
aesthetic to them, something I actively try to explore though my usage of
colour. Perhaps, I also wanted to make a
clear distinction this space is mine alone.
Not James, nor anyone else’s.
When it comes to the rest of the home we try to combine our tastes as
well as possible, sure, but why risk a compromise of aesthetic in a space as
important as <i>my</i> workspace?* When the time comes to re-plaster and re-tile
it all, I need to be more careful about my choices as they will be more
permanent, but until then, I can afford to mock around a little bit. Perhaps I will try out a new colour or a new material.
A cork pin board would be an interesting
way to organise my notes, or I could give chalkboard paint a go. Only the price of paint is the limit! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*Obviously, at a
time when James wants to decorate his study he may choose the <i>H-Block Beige</i> for all I care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From this angle, owning a house is great.
If a detail keeps bothering you – go and change it. No storage - no problem, built some! Change the lights or buy a new showerhead and
go nuts. The list of relatively
inexpensive improvements is endless when there is no landlord to breath down
your neck. You can make a space your own
with a pot of paint and a bit of elbow grease in a matter of days. It is truly amazing. Yet on the flip side, when the roof leaks or
the boiler decides to go out of commission, you are at the mercy of your home
insurance provider. Succeeding to sculpt
out a functional and beautiful atelier for myself is just one of those little things
that I need to keep in mind when something unexpected happens or I get cold
feet. How boring would life be if
everything was predetermined! James
and I are pretty level headed when it comes to taking on a project like this; doing
the place up in small chunks, one day at a time, trusting our abilities and
most importantly, knowing when to wheel in the cavalry of professionals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Speaking of, if somebody wants to come and help this strong and independent
renovator get a few sacs of plaster dust and heaps of rotted baseboards to the déchèterie,
I’ll buy you a beer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anyone? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com4Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-47855838484083025032017-08-07T17:46:00.001+02:002017-08-07T17:46:49.124+02:00Wunderkammer - DIY Restoration for a Vintage Map Cabinet <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZRuPRq7cYK7Yy77CHErXBT7xCWrJ_7Odco2Ag6C5iqwfdkkMhInbvx6GwKGQ4qC4PY6BgWUDquVvtS1mnsUAJSzJ4CJtrt09IASaMfURqUEBafnmtzY0PwjxHA9spLXXV_ZB0PpazX1c/s1600/WUNDERKAMMER.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZRuPRq7cYK7Yy77CHErXBT7xCWrJ_7Odco2Ag6C5iqwfdkkMhInbvx6GwKGQ4qC4PY6BgWUDquVvtS1mnsUAJSzJ4CJtrt09IASaMfURqUEBafnmtzY0PwjxHA9spLXXV_ZB0PpazX1c/s1600/WUNDERKAMMER.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t you just
love summer; sizzling in the sun, all the BBQ’s, hay fever, swimming, sitting
out sipping adult themed drinks and complaining about the mozzies… the works? It truly surprises me anything gets done
during the summer months when the sun is shining and the beach is burning! However, in <i>chez nous</i>, it’s business as usual and I have been continuing to get
my atelier organised. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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One of the big perks of my studio space, the old <i>crèmerie </i>on the grown floor<i>,</i>
is a large built in cupboard where I keep my art materials. In the absence of any other storage however,
I have been forced to keep my stock, i.e. all of my finished paintings, drawings
and prints, either propped up against the walls or in boxes and plastic bags which
is obviously not ideal. Wanting to get
something more permanent sorted out for these fragile things cluttering up my
workspace, I took on the long overdue restoration of a piece of furniture I and
James bought nearly a year ago – an old map cabinet big enough to house my
paintings and protect them from the hustle and bustle of the atelier. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqJdGAyjHA8U9MDO2C29kbB89e6Ug8sLE5Pnzve69EEJlQ3I2iLaLK7TDUVWxmwnEx1gl4K0JWlqRB6lUGhgEfBBb0NhkJZ6ue8z7ydxeO6h8fISlzGQttTHw3DKKuygHjOhsM2nNy49R/s1600/before+mapcabinet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqJdGAyjHA8U9MDO2C29kbB89e6Ug8sLE5Pnzve69EEJlQ3I2iLaLK7TDUVWxmwnEx1gl4K0JWlqRB6lUGhgEfBBb0NhkJZ6ue8z7ydxeO6h8fISlzGQttTHw3DKKuygHjOhsM2nNy49R/s1600/before+mapcabinet.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actually, these
draws of mine are not map draws at all; the owner of the local <i>Depot Vente</i> who sold us the parts, said they used to house the robes of members of clergy working in a nearby church. He in turn found the pieces in a skip as the chapel
was being refurbished. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And yes, the
piece was in bits when we got it; two of the draws had lost their supports
completely, the top was broken in three and the right side panel had been taken
out and replaced with a piece of plywood.
Having studied the woodwork and the metal pulls, looks like it was
custom made for this church in or around 1960’s and kept well for most of its
life. Seems like a great waste to
through something as stunning in the bin, but <i>their loss, my gain</i>, I suppose. Even in the condition it was in, the cabinet
had so much potential it ended up in my studio where is stood patiently, waiting
to be restored back to its former glory… until now of course. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The very first
step in the restoration process was to replace the supports for two of the bottom
draws which turned out to be easy as pie.
Using an existing piece as a template James cut two new runners out of
new pine, dry fitted them in place to make sure they were the right size before
attaching a strip of recycled wood on top of each to stop the draws sliding out of place. Next up, I would attach the new runners
permanently in situ with the help of a mallet and some wood glue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NV-sCe7fPQ0dCGIhnk35puK5UX1UPDFKyM7vgrN8QOQHtkD0zIkWqqsAD-KpQ77-VbE0VeN41RBx3xfgdWZ2UQreqOJuSz5ayI50qCmOaUsQACTRiOT3rk1FfpsUEPHaqdVU2PHbo6yn/s1600/beforeandafter+mapcabinet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NV-sCe7fPQ0dCGIhnk35puK5UX1UPDFKyM7vgrN8QOQHtkD0zIkWqqsAD-KpQ77-VbE0VeN41RBx3xfgdWZ2UQreqOJuSz5ayI50qCmOaUsQACTRiOT3rk1FfpsUEPHaqdVU2PHbo6yn/s1600/beforeandafter+mapcabinet.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our dog Rusty
helped a lot too, mostly by wagging his tail and being in the way adorably. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To complete the
framework, I re-attached the top of the cabinet by using old nails still attached
to the panels and glued in a few strips of wood that stuck out where the top-pieces
had been torn apart in the past. The draws, although dirty, were in pretty good
shape and only needed to be waxed to help them slide in and out with ease. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOUVpnxDCLhpGW_IwDVNUPx-TSSdY2cXOaW5nC-KEJCPk9VKh8YqMZIMi2zlddreCqaptTd2Ed6hnOa5qR83flSZqBHDct4MejDyN9U5W86Rj72vIR6vxAXVmIKn-_Jx6MiU-31TzNTBW/s1600/mapcabinet+restoration.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOUVpnxDCLhpGW_IwDVNUPx-TSSdY2cXOaW5nC-KEJCPk9VKh8YqMZIMi2zlddreCqaptTd2Ed6hnOa5qR83flSZqBHDct4MejDyN9U5W86Rj72vIR6vxAXVmIKn-_Jx6MiU-31TzNTBW/s1600/mapcabinet+restoration.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the structure
was secured I begun the cosmetic side of the restoration. To even out the tone of the piece and mask out
a few old scratches and wood-worm marks, I stained the whole chest, including
the new plywood side and the draws, by using a strong solution of Yorkshire
tea. A bit un-orthodox, I know, but I
only wanted a thin coat of stain that would cover up some of the imperfections
and damages without compromising the woods lovely patina. I applied it with a microfiber cloth, in
three coats, letting the wood dry thoroughly between each layer and sealed it
with two coats of a furniture wax that gave the piece a lovely sheen. The product I used contained 8% beeswax,
giving it a slight orange tint. It took
an hour to be dry enough to touch (or re-apply) and around 12 hours to dry out
completely. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHWw9aMyvmMFn1E9CzYsUA_8XW6wQmm1_ioxGHuzVsb6ZLW2a1KVv42HdDxPHV-0iZf8yGeRoE3-KBr2B1WPL77e7AUvFyGZUQX-7N54Y_EIR8YnvBfRRw8p3YxbQ_NIOJ_xzrFcTtHmm/s1600/after+mapcabinet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHWw9aMyvmMFn1E9CzYsUA_8XW6wQmm1_ioxGHuzVsb6ZLW2a1KVv42HdDxPHV-0iZf8yGeRoE3-KBr2B1WPL77e7AUvFyGZUQX-7N54Y_EIR8YnvBfRRw8p3YxbQ_NIOJ_xzrFcTtHmm/s1600/after+mapcabinet.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beyond cleaning and polishing, I did nothing with the pulls and so they will
remain brown for now. As it stands I
have not decided on whether I ought to get new ones, perhaps in brass or aged copper,
or strip and restore the old steel ones.
The brown paint, which is a bit chipped around the edges, I believe, is
original to the pulls. The chest being a
vintage piece rather than an antique one, I am not too bothered by changing the
minor detailing like the pulls as long as the woodwork won’t be damaged in the
process. Not that I am fundamentally
against painting woodwork anyhow, <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2017/07/stairway-to-heaven.html?spref=pi" target="_blank">I’ve done it before</a>, but here it is just too lovely
to be covered up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For something
that was ready for the skip, <i>or actually already in a skip</i>, this magnificent chest of draws is now perfectly
rehabilitated and ready to serve in my atelier, with or without the
retro-brown. My precious artworks couldn’t
be better protected in these priestly draws and I have one less project to
worry about. (Insert a sigh of relief!) James is happy, the dog is happy and I am
happy. Having finished it all, I
actually feel like I deserve the cheeky swim and an ice cold beer… <br /><br />Meet you at the <i>Lac de Montagnes</i>... anybody up for that? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-23307172402754530072017-07-25T10:30:00.001+02:002017-07-25T10:30:16.748+02:00They Wash Rugs Don't They? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKapGK7vS5TbY0WmCc8si7EWEamZ39_0ylz8SwqVQtmT_2F83503v1aCJX1AsDrPBv_E-0KIKHs6S_6xy8Jy60Pm1kiaWFmRNpfDQVGvwDQ4if_Av01nVg9hi4gCwi66rdFRp9ocaZ_bVF/s1600/kusi+kusi+kusi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKapGK7vS5TbY0WmCc8si7EWEamZ39_0ylz8SwqVQtmT_2F83503v1aCJX1AsDrPBv_E-0KIKHs6S_6xy8Jy60Pm1kiaWFmRNpfDQVGvwDQ4if_Av01nVg9hi4gCwi66rdFRp9ocaZ_bVF/s1600/kusi+kusi+kusi.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The spring is a
magical time in Finland; as the sun kisses the frosty land, slowly melting the
snow and a layer of dog shit usually around two foot deep, and each of our
thousands of lakes is suddenly freed of ice, shortly followed by millions of birds
returning to their shores to nest… so the first Finn crawls out of their cave –
and immediately seeks to start a fight for the best position at the local
rug-washing station. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Washing of the rugs
is an important task for the Finn, the <i>alpha and omega</i> of good
housekeeping. Although wearing shoes is strictly
forbidden inside Finnish homes as to keep our rugs clean, allowing only a rare
exception: a baptism, birthday or a funeral, those jolly summer parties we all
love and cherish and whip out the good china for. The rugs <i>must</i>
be washed annually. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dirty or not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPGYGzYEDqGEBSKJRxW-lLSeWLPwknwWu9U-wh7_rXRK2br88Fhn3vt-iJPGONj6R8OqpeLitt4yorl5qxLJxRNmaO4dNh4Ud0_Fvjhlo2RoobUrUr0fGlb6bl3Olqchmcwpt8EQVsdNS/s1600/washing+rugs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPGYGzYEDqGEBSKJRxW-lLSeWLPwknwWu9U-wh7_rXRK2br88Fhn3vt-iJPGONj6R8OqpeLitt4yorl5qxLJxRNmaO4dNh4Ud0_Fvjhlo2RoobUrUr0fGlb6bl3Olqchmcwpt8EQVsdNS/s1600/washing+rugs.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Finnish rug washing in <a href="https://www.tervo.fi/matonpesupaikka" target="_blank">Tervo</a> and mangling in <a href="http://www.pirkkala.fi/palvelut/asuminen/puisto-ja_virkistysalueet/matonpesupaikat/" target="_blank">Pirkkala</a> - images borrowed from their sites respectfully.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before moving to
Scotland and later to France, I too engaged in this national sport. And why not - it is made very easy for you as
even the smallest villages would have a station, usually outdoors and near a
lake, where you can take your carpets, (handmade by grandmothers if you’re a
traditionalist or bought if you’re city scum) scrub them clean with pine soap, mangle
and hung them to dry. Like most decent
people with an acute sense of good housekeeping, I like my rugs cleaned annually. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No exceptions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we joined our
lives and possessions, James, who is to thank for most of our furniture,
contributed three stunning carpets to our shared home. My inner Finn roared and rumbled as I
discovered these rugs have never been washed.
<i>Gross. So unhygienic. So English!</i> Three years and a dog later, the carpets
remained unwashed and my Finnish needs unsatisfied. There was nowhere to go, no mangle and they
were too heavy. Then my mother came for
a visit and gears started to turn…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conveniently, I was
feeling under the weather on strong antibiotics, having just hurt my face and
rendered one of my hands temporarily unusable in an incident involving a stray
feline, so it was up to James and ma to get the washing started. As the nearest rug station is around two thousand
kilometres away, we made our own from two architect’s tables, a pressure washer
and a few bars of Marseille-soap. My mum
scrubbed as James wielded the pressure washer, starting from the dirtiest rug as
I napped upstairs. It took a bit of
grunt, I was told, but the results were truly stunning. This blond rug with red, white and pale blue
accents had gotten so dirty it was nearly all grey to the point where you could
hardly distinguish the pattern. After the
wash, <i>Finnish mum-style</i>, it was like brand
new. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIPZwvjf6xAXBXbkJl1pV6ZkYH7jRCfiekylMfzMutAfA10aLrFktuGbxcaO7rTO7YGOGU70xoCjnv2__tmEpAn4h1XAOYpBnki_DmzG04-qQTd9Mn8EiyyFyrtuunaAX0u7EhSnztM_p/s1600/washing+rugs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIPZwvjf6xAXBXbkJl1pV6ZkYH7jRCfiekylMfzMutAfA10aLrFktuGbxcaO7rTO7YGOGU70xoCjnv2__tmEpAn4h1XAOYpBnki_DmzG04-qQTd9Mn8EiyyFyrtuunaAX0u7EhSnztM_p/s1600/washing+rugs.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">James, seduced
by the power of his beloved pressure washer, also cleaned up parts of our exterior
walls that had gotten mossy over the years, again, with a glorious effect. I woke up from my nap just in time to capture
few snaps of the action and take credit for the job in the eyes of our elderly
neighbour who probably thought we were barking mad as the French, together with
the Brits, hardly wash their rugs. Perhaps
they just really love shake and vac? </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span lang="FR">Bof - Je ne sais pas.</span></i><span lang="FR"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span lang="FR"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And speaking of
our neighbour, although she sneaks us greetings from <i>Jehova</i> every now and then, I really like her and often practise my
gardening vocabulary on her as she has the most beautiful <i>jardin</i> I have ever seen. It
has got the perfect balance between a traditional <i>potager</i> with an addition of tomatoes, salads, pumpkin etc. and a
flower garden with roses and perennials.
We have a few pots of cherry tomatoes, <i>patisson</i>-squash, strawberries and herbs ourselves and they do give
us a good crop but wouldn’t sustain us for the nuclear-winter if you know what
I mean. Anyhow, I like my gardening like
I like my men: easy and low maintenance.
Having said that, it is also great to see some of my <i>gladioli</i> finally starting to
flower. The bulbs were planted a tad bit
late this spring and my expectations for a flower-show this summer were pretty
non-existent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBQ8pG4EbyPfJHeBAOhj23rAhHKqJpzA5ZaYxnIBnE5d0CL0KhNirweSS871IKryEXGE1gz9hhkb-tIoF1mt2W8yNoizYohyphenhyphenODyHOzJ5GTmuVrn-5OS8MoiXaANbsFT2J1ZWmQTY4ZfK2/s1600/garden+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBQ8pG4EbyPfJHeBAOhj23rAhHKqJpzA5ZaYxnIBnE5d0CL0KhNirweSS871IKryEXGE1gz9hhkb-tIoF1mt2W8yNoizYohyphenhyphenODyHOzJ5GTmuVrn-5OS8MoiXaANbsFT2J1ZWmQTY4ZfK2/s1600/garden+12.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Fresh from the garden... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As it stands we
are waiting for a hot and sunny weekend to finish up the last of our rugs. The woollen ones take a day or two to dry
completely, but it’s worth it – if not for anything else other than my peace of
mind. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had this funny
moment when I caught a glimpse of our freshly scrubbed piece of carpet drying
in the garden as the sun slipped behind a wispy cloud: just in that moment there,
somewhere far away, my old granny looked down and smirked.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The dirty skank washed hers </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">never</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-46279826593078099672017-07-14T13:02:00.001+02:002017-07-14T13:03:12.158+02:00Wonderwall <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFUe1UE0EbKx6x8EvniPuJejFFJv1P_oGDITM7tOVnby0P89BIIWdyyge5FJ8g_U-lxXP2guEL6jmzOsHRB3orgMvoMr_4U-9splvvr6J0CfBavbG-CiX7REDkClpqTqkdMIbd-vVpjNy/s1600/wonderwall.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFUe1UE0EbKx6x8EvniPuJejFFJv1P_oGDITM7tOVnby0P89BIIWdyyge5FJ8g_U-lxXP2guEL6jmzOsHRB3orgMvoMr_4U-9splvvr6J0CfBavbG-CiX7REDkClpqTqkdMIbd-vVpjNy/s1600/wonderwall.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wonderwall</b> (Noun) </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“A barrier which
separates the mundane from the Transcendent Reality. A true Wonderwall will
always have a crack, or a slit or an opening which allows anyone a glimpse of
what lies beyond the Wonderwall.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you ever
catch yourself staring at a project, an unfinished wall perhaps or a gargantuan
pile of ironing and say to yourself </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will
this job ever be finished</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">? I love my
old house with its rough edges and all its imperfections, but living </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inside a project</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> does take its toll: I get fed up of clearing up fallen plaster, let it collect in the skewed corners around the house and I tire of fighting
the armies of spiders we share this house with, allow them to conquer the
contours of our stairwell and erect their flags in the ceiling. The work
never ends. Priming a wall can take a
week when the moral is low.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is usually when my husband strolls in with a new gismo and I rediscover my
enthusiasm of painting and decorating.
To battle my growing apathy towards home improvement, last Monday he
adopted a wallpaper kettle and come Friday, I have already given it a name and
a place around our dinner table – that’s how much I love it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpjqZiU-3z-j0mHy4DGjdSHQuwoPnArCbubuyxNwng2MCw956cEMTsxZ3quoO5eAX9oWymBFZk5S3-JlO4d89Juff_rp-zLfGHsWUfY4z2KHBa__4HU7J4UumyxkgyxuwlmesGYQ52s_M/s1600/stripping+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpjqZiU-3z-j0mHy4DGjdSHQuwoPnArCbubuyxNwng2MCw956cEMTsxZ3quoO5eAX9oWymBFZk5S3-JlO4d89Juff_rp-zLfGHsWUfY4z2KHBa__4HU7J4UumyxkgyxuwlmesGYQ52s_M/s1600/stripping+7.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new wallpaper kettle and my mum in action...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those who have not had the pleasure of seeing one of these babies in
action, a wallpaper kettle is a simple gadget that makes stripping wallpaper a
joy. It looks roughly like a petrol canister
fitted with a hose and a plastic tray. James told me it was around thirty euros in our local <i>Bricomarche - </i>money well spent I thought. As water boils
in the tank, stream is directed through the hose and into the shallow tray that
is kept pressed against the section of a wall ready to be stripped. Unlike my fingernails, the steam will penetrate
several layers of paper at once. The old
adhesive is melted away, allowing big sheets of wallpaper simply to fall off
with a gentle pull or a scrape – all in a matter of seconds. On top of all this, the device is fairly
light weight and using one is easy as pie. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><div style="text-align: justify;">
If only it made tea, I would elope to Spain and marry it. </div>
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<br /></div>
</span><span lang="EN-GB"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Conveniently, the purchase of our latest toy coincided with the visit of my
mother, who, when faced with a choice between a relaxing trip to Benidorm or being sent to a Gulag, would choose the Gulag every time. Like
a good daughter, I thought, if working like a beast is how she likes to spend her vacation, who am I to stop her. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9R-ClmFxodIEa6OFCn647BsYbJMya8FS1c6-d57Klr3NkRgwKxLRga6Utx89QxqBwNUQUTTMXSiSZ9jn5-eq_9NtSx1byaAxhe6JL09BFqz2TLP9UeNQj7_nZwaCFafKb-emQYZCqgLbY/s1600/stripping+before+and+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9R-ClmFxodIEa6OFCn647BsYbJMya8FS1c6-d57Klr3NkRgwKxLRga6Utx89QxqBwNUQUTTMXSiSZ9jn5-eq_9NtSx1byaAxhe6JL09BFqz2TLP9UeNQj7_nZwaCFafKb-emQYZCqgLbY/s1600/stripping+before+and+after.jpg" /></a></div>
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</span><span lang="EN-GB"><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
So now, in five days, she has managed to be done with Mount Everest’s worth of
washing and ironing, pickled enough cucumber for an army and walked the dog around the globe. Twice. Last but not least, it
was she who picked up the spanking new kettle and stripped, single handed, the
walls of our entryway that were grotty and unfinished after past half-hearted attempts
of wallpaper-removal, going back to the days when we first moved in. Embarrassed to see how easily she had turned
one of our biggest failures into a success, I may need to step up my mother’s
day game for next year… </div>
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<br /></div>
</span><span lang="EN-GB"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite of my personal feelings of inadequacy, the results are superb: plaster
that was hiding under the stained 90’s wallpaper turned out to be painted light
green and in surprisingly good condition. It was always evident that whole sections will
need to be replaced, especially from around the front door and in the back where
previous occupants had tried to half-arsedly cover up old damages with floppy
sheets particleboard, but the rest is pretty solid. To see these walls for the first time without
scraps of paper was both weird and wonderful.
Although the old paint job is in a dire nick, you get a good feel how
the space could look like once fully restored. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJFtHxHRh2dNPOSjHyGi4IW8W20P_xnNMsHPnH4r8EdH0z0W9QbyzhnKsY__og6RT-KMd0pkVH-IgXFimwZlDkHu0HGoQOPyzvPiL1NudyNeuoCxmksijBDfybzqSzAfGzoB9fMHtCmzX/s1600/stripping+before+and+after+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJFtHxHRh2dNPOSjHyGi4IW8W20P_xnNMsHPnH4r8EdH0z0W9QbyzhnKsY__og6RT-KMd0pkVH-IgXFimwZlDkHu0HGoQOPyzvPiL1NudyNeuoCxmksijBDfybzqSzAfGzoB9fMHtCmzX/s1600/stripping+before+and+after+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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</span></span><br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having a
partner-in-reno, or a fabulous mum, to share the workload with every once in a
while, is helping me to stay motivated. When
I find myself lacking in energy, nothing feels as good as a helping hand and
some hearty progress. My mum will spend
a total of three weeks here, this being her whole holiday allowance for the
summer, and I must admit, I was dreading it.
No matter how much I love my mother, three weeks is a long time to cater
for any guests, including family, on a building site. Luckily we seem to work very well together
and she loves our house as well as Mazamet.
With her help and whirlwind like enthusiasm, I even found myself with a
bit of free time for the first time this summer. In a week I have managed to catch up on work,
make a pretty summer dress and see attractions and events all around Mazamet
and La Montagne Noire. To summarise, I
have managed to relax.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="FR" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">I can concur, la vie est belle! </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">Seeing my mum adore the pace of life by the foot of the Montagne Noire is making me incredibly happy. And as she happens to be dead afraid of spiders, I have a new reason to brake truce with the cobwebs brigade. God knows, it's about damn time! </span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-48785449858104382212017-07-04T14:50:00.001+02:002017-07-04T14:50:08.252+02:00Stairway to Heaven <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRNHR0OsnSrs-qSfoVJOcpIjkoX8vaUqk7J6Xj2-IYhCcNfzdBVgqg-L1J6JWid0A0xiTDxZnjk8brGD7ffMPZjyEd0U8_97F7aQ5w5Em68wucJBpjdRO2wsRdiDcCDiWd7PUS0vDSJ-T/s1600/Stairway+to+Heaven.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRNHR0OsnSrs-qSfoVJOcpIjkoX8vaUqk7J6Xj2-IYhCcNfzdBVgqg-L1J6JWid0A0xiTDxZnjk8brGD7ffMPZjyEd0U8_97F7aQ5w5Em68wucJBpjdRO2wsRdiDcCDiWd7PUS0vDSJ-T/s1600/Stairway+to+Heaven.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yeah, I
know. I had to. I am a simple girl: our stairway was in a
dire need of tender love and care and I had just the title! Cheese or no cheese, I hope you will appreciate
my next project that stands before you as a living-non-breathing-proof of the transformative
power of paint: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was
dark. It was dreary. It was mahogany-tinted pine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am <i>of course</i> talking about the tongue and
groove panelling on the first flight of stairs leading from the entryway to our
main living space floor above. This
particular section was poorly lit in the begin with, but the imposing hue of
the pine was making the situation much worse by masking out the contour of our
beautiful oak staircase as well as dating the space significantly. Sure, we will be adding proper lighting to the
landing area later, with the help of our trusted electricians, but in the
meantime, replacing the whole panelling that was perfectly functional, just a bit depressing,
felt like an overkill, hence James and I decided to give it a lick of fresh
paint instead. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lqJV_1crTGrvIIYriGaJvPc9-wzNrXXJcu28gPGSKycFxlt8SwPCUcgQzkAzmPBBzE9jWEmq3p6YAUHXOgaRq9IjXr_SQlbHTzJSDEsBwkr6zuLlXiFYMOC-Y3QPGvIFDDaVFA_VesVH/s1600/stairs+paint+job+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lqJV_1crTGrvIIYriGaJvPc9-wzNrXXJcu28gPGSKycFxlt8SwPCUcgQzkAzmPBBzE9jWEmq3p6YAUHXOgaRq9IjXr_SQlbHTzJSDEsBwkr6zuLlXiFYMOC-Y3QPGvIFDDaVFA_VesVH/s1600/stairs+paint+job+2.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
The pine panelling was stained with a heavy hand and waxed to protect this lovely shade of drab. It made the first flight of our stairs feel unwelcoming and dark and did no favours for the lovely oak stairs that blend straight into the dark background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having looked at
a few colour charts we went with our usual: a tin of brilliant white. With my pesky Nordic heritage and a taste for
everything minimalist, it just felt like the right choice for this dark and
narrow space. As the panelling had been
treated with both, stain and wax, I chose to use a Nuance<i> Mono Créme</i> multi-surface emulsion in matte finish. Nuance is a French dupe for Dulux and this
particular concoction is self-undercoating, thus sticks like shit to a blanket,
fast drying and silly easy to use. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As with any good
paintjob, I started mine by sanding the panels. One could use the good old sandpaper in medium grain, but I chose to
fasten things up a little by cranking up my beloved electric sander. To get rid of most of the old wax treatment,
I needed to go over the area a few times before I was down to regular wood. There was no need to bother getting rid of all
the stain* as it sits much deeper than wax and my paint would cover it up easily
with a few thorough coats. Having
cleaned the surface of all dust, I applied the paint with a brush. A roller is certainly a more forgiving tool,
especially for the beginner, but I do not like the way using one inevitably wastes
paint. The grooves of these panels and
the fact I had to work with my hands behind the spindles of the staircase also
made the brush a good pick for this job. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Stain is a
generic term for (usually) water-based colouring that penetrates the wood
highlighting the natural variation of wood-grain. The more you apply, the darker or more vibrant
your final colour will be. It’s
recommended you seal the wood after staining by waxing it or applying a coat
of lacquer, oil, etc. to protect the finished surface and make it repel dust and
dirt. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2LtipY3DQ1xNk4EFTfYuoaRzoiLVH8KMG06W5EU5oAWMizUVm8qs53O71Gp3NdMumVFE-ve5f8HwF1h3GKVB1Fq-DVCfYt8qhZOyXPEQqF5p26tg9w5QVaXwyZsJZDq4kWC8nbr2gAGz/s1600/stairs+paint+job+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2LtipY3DQ1xNk4EFTfYuoaRzoiLVH8KMG06W5EU5oAWMizUVm8qs53O71Gp3NdMumVFE-ve5f8HwF1h3GKVB1Fq-DVCfYt8qhZOyXPEQqF5p26tg9w5QVaXwyZsJZDq4kWC8nbr2gAGz/s1600/stairs+paint+job+1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
The tools of the trade: my beloved sander and wood, PVC and aluminum compatible paint - if these can't beat the shit out of that faux mahogany, nothing will!</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I let my wall to dry overnight after the first coat, not because it would have needed it, but as
it was getting a bit late. Without my
beauty sleep though, I could have been finished with the whole job in about three hours, including an extensive search for an extension lead my lovely
husband had tidied away exactly where it belonged. </span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bastard. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdlfaOdIy6pKFneV59XsGr66MM_DGBHVkOHUEWInwDWrC4CCOkDEymOnab1frNCOPaurcOBv127y5TYghUMzVvRFs9g0KB7dnPLct87XWM3tQZyvReIWYJZPx26i5MWcLURG9i9GGNj5X/s1600/Stairway+to+Heaven+after.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdlfaOdIy6pKFneV59XsGr66MM_DGBHVkOHUEWInwDWrC4CCOkDEymOnab1frNCOPaurcOBv127y5TYghUMzVvRFs9g0KB7dnPLct87XWM3tQZyvReIWYJZPx26i5MWcLURG9i9GGNj5X/s1600/Stairway+to+Heaven+after.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's the results: Not bad I say! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having seen some photos of the new colour, he couldn’t believe how airy and open the corridor suddenly felt. The fresh white paint is the best substitute for natural light in a space like this in my view and having erased the oddly red-ish mahogany tint, you can actually distinguish where our lovely staircase begins and the partition ends. How clean it all looks certainly gives me hope when thinking about rehabilitating rest of our stairwell that is currently painted in varying shades of natural white with decades of dirty handprints and nicotine stains. Yummy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm not a great believer in art hung in narrow spaces, as normally I am too clumsy to risk it, but this little "home" sign felt appropriate here. It was a housewarming present upon moving to France nearly three years ago now and will hopefully hang in our home, in this old house, for decades to come.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That’s it
folks! I think I can concur this was a
small but transformative job – one that we would have tackled ages ago if only
we had known how easy it was… <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com2Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-15186107920469444382017-06-22T14:51:00.001+02:002017-06-22T14:51:23.117+02:00Le Petit Jardin Vol. 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDixiQ-qoXGU94OayYOSDwwrheZ_cuOnhtaBoJbQaWwZ9hQU5N1G94lHBzo3-5IfueSQmbL7FCQbb96cDMWLSxjN7mVVwxnujiwyM0nMKr1TvKqmecv5GPTrYh2JiMVGHs-eOx6kxi7VoD/s1600/jardin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDixiQ-qoXGU94OayYOSDwwrheZ_cuOnhtaBoJbQaWwZ9hQU5N1G94lHBzo3-5IfueSQmbL7FCQbb96cDMWLSxjN7mVVwxnujiwyM0nMKr1TvKqmecv5GPTrYh2JiMVGHs-eOx6kxi7VoD/s1600/jardin.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s been a
while huh? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />As the temperature climbs from the high twenties to the mid-thirties here by
the Montagne Noire, my motivation to function plummets exponentially. And what would be a better project to tackle
when the sun is hot than overhauling a garden full of
concrete and dog poo? It has been months
in the making, but it seems that our outdoor space is finally taking shape despite
of this heatwave holding Europe in its deadly grip. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To say we had to
start from scratch with this one would be an understatement; to even get to the
concrete base covering the whole surface of our little gardenette, we had to
clear away a decade’s worth of ivy and moss, dead leaves as well as heaps of general
garden waste – all in varying stages of decomposition. To utilise this half-putrefied mess, our
first priority was to buy a composter unit.
As it stands, food waste is not currently collected in Mazamet, so
having our own composter in the garden would help us recycle our scraps and provide
compost for all our future needs. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />We also needed to get rid of a few pesky trees, including a London Plane that was
mere inches away from the garden wall and destined to grow huge. Another had already damaged the surface of
the old concrete patio with its roots and thus it was getting on my tits. In fact, I hated it so much that I took a
dull saw to the bastard and spent almost an hour cussing and sawing through
blood, sweat and tears until the tree was no more. A bush, a shrub and odd patch of completely tasteless
wild strawberries soon met the same faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having gotten
rid of it all, seemed that we had managed to eradicate every single piece of
greenery from our garden either by chopping, scraping or pressure washing it… <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">…until the roses
appeared from under the rubble. Two old
but beautiful varieties in fact, planted by our current neighbour who used to
reside in our house in the 60’s with her family. These were the only original elements from the <i>old</i> <i>garden</i> that we saw worth keeping –
and to what results! With a little
pruning here and there, are these not two of the most beautiful roses you have
ever seen? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other new plants
include stunning bush of lavender, rhubarb, thyme and rosemary. I also planted a selection of bulbs, none of which
have shown any interest in blooming so far, but such is gardening: constant investment
for the next season. We chose purple
slate as the filler for these beds, hoping it would slow down the snails and
keep the area as weed-free as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The old patio,
completely broken up by a web of roots, was dug up and replaced with the help
of Rusty the dog who loves digging. We
levelled the base with a few bags of sand, laid down <s>the law</s> some
factory off-cuts of engineered slate in light beige and filled the gaps with specs of subtly rose-tinted marble that works well with the purple slate. In time, this is where we’ll set up a table
and chairs once the right set comes along, but for now, it’s a steady base for
Rustys paddling pool when he gets too hot in his furs, a bbq or a set of planters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Parts of the
shallow wall separating the gravel from concrete was too damaged so it had to
be replaced. I made my builder-dad proud
by fixing up my own from mortar and broken up specs of colourful cement
tiles. Small boulders of natural stone
we had previously found were used to line the flowerbeds around the ring of the
patio and as a dinky rockery. Small
details, but they add a little bit of cosiness to the otherwise plain concrete
base. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With all this
talk about stone, you might wonder why we did not go for grass in the end. I
would have really wanted to, not least for the dog to use as his latrine, but
in this climate it needs constant maintenance to look good in the summer. Even with the diligence of the local
gardeners tending the public spaces in Mazamet, the grass is yielding under the sun and there’s only so much watering I want to do on day to day
basis. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So if the
experts can’t keep it alive… I’ll just
stick to pot-plants myself, thanks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here you have
it: even with most of the base work now completed, there is plenty to be done –
we have a few more flowerbeds to construct and an old antique trough to be
repurposed as a vegetable batch, but more about that later. It’s simply too hot to even write about hard
work! <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hey– and if you
have tips on how to kill slugs without heavy poisons, drop me a line – the cherry
tomatoes and our dog will thank you. <br /><br />Happy gardening y'all! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-34344485282249983632017-05-22T20:53:00.000+02:002017-05-23T09:50:52.288+02:00Inspiration, Now - painting and drawing Chez Nous <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreZYSreug0-RIsRK4M2-JVVjHrAH1ksII6YE9iC_1Yk1GjHhmNZvb3fc72Rp-8tzw68KitTqBdFrmN_B_dDzuI7O3_uxijwahty1W8_jnVGkslff5LbZzGBubIuAesYIxbEAcWJtsF4gh/s1600/inspiration+now%2521.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreZYSreug0-RIsRK4M2-JVVjHrAH1ksII6YE9iC_1Yk1GjHhmNZvb3fc72Rp-8tzw68KitTqBdFrmN_B_dDzuI7O3_uxijwahty1W8_jnVGkslff5LbZzGBubIuAesYIxbEAcWJtsF4gh/s1600/inspiration+now%2521.png" /></a></div>
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<br />
Welcome back to Chez Nous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />Good news - as the renovation of my <i>atelier
d’art</i> is progressing slowly but steadily, I have managed to reclaim my
number one metier, painting. And for
once I am not talking about painting walls, but painting as in fine art and
illustration. Although the emphasis of
this blog has been on the renovation and restoration of our house here in Mazamet,
I feel it is time to come clean about my artistic endeavours also, as I am currently
embarking on a painting project about <i>Chez
Nous</i> and more widely, the region I am lucky to live in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Getting back on my vocation full time has been
both weird and wonderful after focussing on other projects for nearly six
months. On top of that, the last time I
set out to paint a coherent body of work to be exhibited together was for my
degree show, back in Edinburgh College of Art in the <i>Auld Reekie</i> in 2014! To best
explain what I plan to establish by painting a series of pieces about my own
dwelling, I better start from the beginning… of what my art is all about in the
first place:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99zyhWg7AFeWke9d1SinD7ec-UEZh9_fgKZpt_ywHciPxY8esB6MPzl3em0nDUl7B8SO3q2mys4V7MInxc3xSuF25_gowkD8i-XWabvYRJDR5CrYKuLA0tDPdLPY3i1p7eN54Il8qnfbi/s1600/tiina+lilja+art+painting+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99zyhWg7AFeWke9d1SinD7ec-UEZh9_fgKZpt_ywHciPxY8esB6MPzl3em0nDUl7B8SO3q2mys4V7MInxc3xSuF25_gowkD8i-XWabvYRJDR5CrYKuLA0tDPdLPY3i1p7eN54Il8qnfbi/s1600/tiina+lilja+art+painting+2.png" /></a></td></tr>
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Some of my earlier paintings from 2006 to 2010</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Some people see themselves as <i>artists</i> primarily, but I have always
been a <i>painter</i>. Working towards perfecting my trade through
mastering different materials, repeated sketching or meticulous base-work such
as priming my own canvasses is very important to me. It has been a long road to find out what my
preferred subjects are, from early works inspired by <i>art nouveau</i> and <i>surrealism</i>
to brash portraits of objects commanding to be gazed at, but at this point of
my career I am most inspired by different materials and patterns, iconic brands
and cherished things. Acknowledging the
weight of the history of art so far, as well as the significance of colour in
two dimensional art, I still want my pieces to be playful. The concept of nostalgia, too, plays a huge part
in my way of painting things and wanting to inspire the viewer to start paying
attention to the beauty found in everyday: how we dress ourselves, the products
we consume, advertisement, signage, décor…
I firmly believe most things around us deserve a second look and by
elevating mundane subjects into art by painting them in larger than life scale
on canvas, is my way of doing so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ijYAk4Rwjm2H7FB3fpcs7TXCe8xKywxfuGtWv5ybBDaGHhIAAtwBlLEvGBNKgpPBsi0MyFpei96-1XFoo4zx4dIjdlQLA0wkx95KvTDdskM4UCoRRWVu3gb-7A0DCDucfS14leaI8TrK/s1600/tiina+lilja+art+painting.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ijYAk4Rwjm2H7FB3fpcs7TXCe8xKywxfuGtWv5ybBDaGHhIAAtwBlLEvGBNKgpPBsi0MyFpei96-1XFoo4zx4dIjdlQLA0wkx95KvTDdskM4UCoRRWVu3gb-7A0DCDucfS14leaI8TrK/s1600/tiina+lilja+art+painting.png" /></a></td></tr>
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Some of my most recent, pattern based pieces</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">But leaving my artists manifesto aside, by
choosing to paint my house, <i>my home,</i>
and exhibit the pieces for all the world to see, is my way of documenting what
is here and paying tribute to the people who built this lovely house as their
home over a century ago. This house is a
treasure chest of ideas for a pattern-obsessed painter and a history buff: The wallpapers alone would keep me busy for
years in the studio, not to mention the intricate tilework and the plaster
details with <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2017/02/the-forgotten-symbolism-of-ornament.html" target="_blank">their hidden symbols</a>. And
there are many homes just like mine on this street alone, some occupied, but
many waiting for a fool of a renovator to take them on and love them
again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Mazamet used to be one of the richest regional
towns in France with more gold stored in its banks than in the branches of
Paris. The textile, leather and
pelt-industries created a steady stream of wealth making it possible for merchants
of all classes, including the cheesemongers who set up shop in <i>Chez Nous</i>, to build beautiful houses,
using the most fashionable materials and decorating them stylishly following the
latest trends. It looked like the economic
growth was never ending; even the wars did not stop the production in the
Montagne Noire - if anything the war effort meant more business for the local
mills producing textiles and gear for the military. But come 1970’s and the rules of commerce had
changed: The local producers could no
longer keep up with the competition once the cheap imports started flooding in
from Asia, China in particular. Today
hardly anything is left from the glory days of the industrial dominance of this
region, except the hollow shells of the factories scattered along the waterways
tricking down from the mountain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98SlkswiLll8Gpc49qLgCT6Xv9l4-VmP6MIa3KhrXtN1Fxz5-dNb8n0etGccM5-l5B9XHHwzSWq8RX3i1eOyqilaL9gwHmZouHJYM-RxkvdF2mKjEP6ZJinPiqz4a9BNoj83LbfiBRvUX/s1600/Mazamet+Post+Cards.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98SlkswiLll8Gpc49qLgCT6Xv9l4-VmP6MIa3KhrXtN1Fxz5-dNb8n0etGccM5-l5B9XHHwzSWq8RX3i1eOyqilaL9gwHmZouHJYM-RxkvdF2mKjEP6ZJinPiqz4a9BNoj83LbfiBRvUX/s1600/Mazamet+Post+Cards.png" /></a></td></tr>
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Old postcards of Mazamet showing the town centre, processing of pelts - a key industry for the region and one of the now abandoned factories. </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">With no work and mounting social problems, people
that grew up here were forced to look for their fortunes elsewhere, leaving homes
built by their ancestors behind. These properties
soon lost their value and small townhouses as well as the grand villas of the factory
owners were left to decay. Investment
and with it, new residents, are returning to Mazamet, though, have been for
some time now. The agreeable climate
together with affordable properties and its authentic small town-feel makes
this a popular spot for the English expats.
I have hear Tarn, our department, being describes as the best value for
money in the whole of France by friends who invest in property here. Due to spectacularly cheap rents for
businesses, manufacturing and commerce are making a comeback too. Just the other week I read about somebody
setting up an artisanal sake distillery nearby and the town centre is been
re-fitted as we speak to attract more shopkeepers and restaurateurs. Our mayor has a real interest in encouraging
all kinds of businesses and under his schemes especially young entrepreneurs
have had a change to start-up businesses in Mazamet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Not quite the renaissance of the Montagne Noire
just yet, but things are improving. People’s
attitudes towards historic homes on the other hand, not so much. We have been able to buy and re-claim so many
materials such as tiles so easily because there seems to be very little
interest in preserving the old. From
every one person I know who is interested in respectful renovation of their old
house, there seems to be dozens who would rather skip the painstaking
restoration process and cover everything with plasterboard and laminate. Their home and their rules, of course, but
surely there is no harm in giving the old another change? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Small watercolour and pencil sketches inspired by the patterns of our wonderful encaustic cement tiles</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">By choosing to paint my tiles, the weather
beaten front door of ours or 60’s floral wallpaper is not to say this is </span><i style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">art</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> – it is to encourage the viewer,
you, to look again after something has been </span><i style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">elevated
into art</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">What people take from my
work is of course subjective, but if it inspires at least one person to start looking
for the beauty of the everyday in their own lives, job well jobbed.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulsTf30dMecSQMB5y1A8z6CXnTGReov5sV9dFNhW5AYGLOUTDCzzrdtAJSJbRm7oGF741xsAhfixdOFbZOsfbyiGUX9BOp07lSHyXGsLJLraTDKqt_AwpTON25fiFC4OIATbtCIQJ8IMz/s1600/tile+paintings+geometric.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulsTf30dMecSQMB5y1A8z6CXnTGReov5sV9dFNhW5AYGLOUTDCzzrdtAJSJbRm7oGF741xsAhfixdOFbZOsfbyiGUX9BOp07lSHyXGsLJLraTDKqt_AwpTON25fiFC4OIATbtCIQJ8IMz/s1600/tile+paintings+geometric.png" /></a></td></tr>
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Tile sketches in blush pink, carmine and burgundy</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Art does not need to be this monster that only
lurks in museums, knobby galleries and hipster bars – it is all around us,
where we choose to see beauty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Painting is my way to engage with the world
around me. It is a way to document my
life and my feelings, but also a way to make a living, thus curated for an
audience. My work at its most truthful
lies somewhere between these parameters.
By creating art inspired by my own home I am turning something very private
into something professional, but in a way, this is what I am already doing by
writing this blog. These little
watercolours illustrating my thoughts in this post will serve as a template to
start working on canvas – canvasses that may one day be hung in somebody else’s
home. The idea of that is both thought provoking
as well as bizarre. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjKI-3ILF7gVn2bzZn5q_h0-VxFeUQOBXj6NCifpoqOZuVP8xN2PdqonKOzPPdzlIpiibfF_JqWsI0pgGtDGdNNFHxq-CQa5YVL0o2sE6DAbgyWrAuWBYFl2Qq6sMaOLrqV4Et1UiXf3J/s1600/front+door+paintings.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjKI-3ILF7gVn2bzZn5q_h0-VxFeUQOBXj6NCifpoqOZuVP8xN2PdqonKOzPPdzlIpiibfF_JqWsI0pgGtDGdNNFHxq-CQa5YVL0o2sE6DAbgyWrAuWBYFl2Qq6sMaOLrqV4Et1UiXf3J/s1600/front+door+paintings.png" /></a></td></tr>
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My front door. </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Once the day comes to exhibit my creations out
in the big wide world, I will naturally be starting local. During my time here I have noticed it is
often those that are the closest that can truly be the blindest when it comes
to valuing our surroundings. And as it
is everywhere else, it often takes an appreciative stranger to convince the
locals that it’s not all just doom and gloom here. Mazamet really deserves to be loved again and
through my work, I want to be the one carrying her torch. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-42567555197042655832017-05-15T18:32:00.001+02:002017-05-15T18:32:52.401+02:00Le Grand Balcon - Setting up outdoor space for the summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0yLBF-qSihyphenhypheneoE7cJp6IhXva6fQwFSzSczXRo5ZZkczoKMYdGcteNb2Bui6K6NKdjgbyy07GhqUeFEURQvwYJT1DdTCLKRe7j4sKKJek12DYfPQCi_eghawBcTiQJSP3xKcCruAA3RZt/s1600/le+grand+balcon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0yLBF-qSihyphenhypheneoE7cJp6IhXva6fQwFSzSczXRo5ZZkczoKMYdGcteNb2Bui6K6NKdjgbyy07GhqUeFEURQvwYJT1DdTCLKRe7j4sKKJek12DYfPQCi_eghawBcTiQJSP3xKcCruAA3RZt/s1600/le+grand+balcon.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">It all started with a catalogue. You
know, one of those supermarket add-magazines soliciting variety packs of
Walkers and the best deals on Birds Eye frozen macaroni bites. We get a fair bit of those here in France, in
fact they drop semiregularly into our mailbox, once or twice a week, from all
of the major supermarkets in the area.
First I thought about putting a stop to it by attaching a small “<i>pas de pub</i>” note on the door like before,
but as a <i>homeowner</i>, I thought why not
give the catalogues a try. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who knows, they may even have coupons, I remember thinking.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Little did I know that a mag from Casino was going to change the way we would
use our balcony, a leaky, smelly and callous place, which at that juncture mostly
served as a place to dump smelly bin bags.
Like a good little wife I browsed through each leaflet full of special
offers and multi-buys, occasionally setting a few aside featuring decent beer
offerings or a tasty coupon. From this
pile of domestic misery, James spotted a set of patio furniture, a modular
sofa, armchair and a tea-table-combo, for a price too good to miss. As the weather was warming up, we wanted
somewhere nice to sit outside with our G&T’s and made a trip to the Géant
Casino in Castres the very next weekend. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCC6GtvV6eR1zZl7uWMc1_cmAw4MilyYm08XayqA4vAITQ3q2RCWhHN6WkTreCrolhngpI8b69Uq-R9uq-nK2De3sI3O1VAESg_fPDj28snA1PV1cjSqqMHxh-GTtZkAQ0HOauytNL61T/s1600/balcony+after.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCC6GtvV6eR1zZl7uWMc1_cmAw4MilyYm08XayqA4vAITQ3q2RCWhHN6WkTreCrolhngpI8b69Uq-R9uq-nK2De3sI3O1VAESg_fPDj28snA1PV1cjSqqMHxh-GTtZkAQ0HOauytNL61T/s1600/balcony+after.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />The near impossible-to-assemble patio set with our riggity old table and chairs.<br /> </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">As you would expect, the furniture was a real bitch to put together. Made of composite plastic in charcoal-black
and casted to look woven in, these sets are fairly commonplace. We were attracted to this particular
combination, not just for its price, but because of the modular nature of
it. The furniture is lightweight and can
be made to suit various situations: it’s not ridiculously opulent for the two of
us and in the fair occasions we have company, you can seat up to five people
comfortably. The detail I was not
expecting to be pleased about were the cushions, which turned out to be nice
and fluffy, machine washable and moisture repellent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">While James was putting the pieces together in a drunken rage, I
contributed by removing the cushions from their protective film and complained
about certain men’s inability to read instructions. Happy times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Having sorted out the seating as well as a pesky hole in the
fugly-but-functional fiberglass roofing, our little terrace was coming together
nicely. We chose to prioritise other projects
for the summer to come, therefore it made sense to repair rather than remove
the corrugated fiberglass sheets keeping the balcony dry from the rain. You see, the water had previously found its
way through the concrete base of the terrace, all the way to downstairs and the
only way to start managing this was to make sure the floor was staying dry. Installed sometime over ten years ago, the
fiberglass sheets were in a proper state, but seemed to be holding on fine
enough. After James replaced a missing
sheet and bolted it in place, this issue was solved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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This corrigated fiberglass had weathered so badly that on the first glimpse James and I both thought it was asbestos.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With relatively little direct sunlight filtering thought the dirty
fiberglass into this north facing sitting area, we get to enjoy our stunning view
without being burned to crisp - something I truly appreciate as a perma-pale
Finn.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sure, the roofing will go as early
as we have the time and the money to replace it properly, but in the meantime,
the situation could be a lot grimmer.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinsqlDdE3D7sW7OThDMgUdT5DVsTZzx4O3zGGN4ETeZuJbs38dBwJxttybNvbkWmdH8t1QVV1Tu2bn1UKl3VTk_9QpvAPm0dVA8wHQEBD4phK_XiZvcV2MHMxiXyWjgWlJJ2TObHs7zji/s1600/balcony+trio.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinsqlDdE3D7sW7OThDMgUdT5DVsTZzx4O3zGGN4ETeZuJbs38dBwJxttybNvbkWmdH8t1QVV1Tu2bn1UKl3VTk_9QpvAPm0dVA8wHQEBD4phK_XiZvcV2MHMxiXyWjgWlJJ2TObHs7zji/s1600/balcony+trio.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Our current collection of herbs and flowers. <br /></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">The concrete base will also get dug up and replaced. For the time being we are thinking about
terracotta tiles, perhaps re-using some already in this house, but in the
interim the cracked concrete was covered up with a “rug” of synthetic
grass. We used to have this stuff
covering a few problem areas in our old gallery-rental and we both liked the
playful nature of the material. Our
garden, still a bit of a project, as is everything else in this house, does not
have any grass and likely never will, so putting down a piece of artificial
lawn felt like a fun thing to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Rest of the apparent décor, the little table and chairs, the herbs and the
accessories migrated into this place almost on their own. A north facing balcony is not the best place to
grow herbs, I know, but so far so good. They
add a certain <i>je ne sais quoi </i>to the
place and grow close to the kitchen where they are needed. My favourite of all things in the balcony is
probably the large ceramic statue of a stork, given to us as a wedding present
by a friend and made by her elderly mother who was quite of an artist back in
her day. The garland of LEF-bulbs is also
wedding related: it was bought from a Scandinavian household-all-rounder Class
Uhlson to light up the stage in our wedding venue. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Setting all things and furnishings aside, I am in love with that view. How could you not! In a clear day you can see the rooftops of
Mazamet, over the valley and all the way to the forests of Sidobre. You can sit comfortably under a blanket and
spy how the weather here changes in seconds and when the night comes, you may
sit back and admire the stars. It never
stops to amaze me how one view alone can be so engaging. Hopefully we will manage to extend this
panorama even further by opening up the left side of the patio by reducing the
height of the concrete wall that luckily is not part of the supporting structure
for the roof. </span></div>
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A room with a view...</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Having a balcony that functions as it should has improved our social life
too as here in France, it seems, everybody smokes. Now, even when it rains, our friends can
enjoy their fag-brakes without having to trek downstairs to the garden. And of course, eating out in our place really
means <i>eating out</i> now. Even with the occasional bats, wasps and ants,
it’s a great place so sit down and relax with a hearty G&T.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a one last person in
the family that is yet to embrace the transformation of our terrace: Rusty the
pupper. He seems to find the confined
outdoors a bit of a drag and much prefers the comfort of his own bed. Well, you can’t please everyone they say… but
at least the humans of our unit love the transformation. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-75908867457939575882017-05-12T10:00:00.000+02:002017-05-12T10:00:28.505+02:00Easy DIY Bunting Tutorial <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9QRTR6uvnpcTWKD8equu3PL7RAl5E9q7JXjFzY3Tz-Gc9zjUjv2PuNf5Ps8pDzFRpR5wUCtjxgXu4YAHrLTDun5tLb9lyXSV8EL2kofTVHW_Ox0tMgFGH9ndnMy-jynUIwRPWOda7SeX/s1600/bunting+diy.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9QRTR6uvnpcTWKD8equu3PL7RAl5E9q7JXjFzY3Tz-Gc9zjUjv2PuNf5Ps8pDzFRpR5wUCtjxgXu4YAHrLTDun5tLb9lyXSV8EL2kofTVHW_Ox0tMgFGH9ndnMy-jynUIwRPWOda7SeX/s1600/bunting+diy.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Life at N°21 is not just blocking holes in
the ceilings and endless scrubbing you know – I spend an awful lot of time just pissing
about, too. Between work, reno-work and
my vibrant social life (hah – as if) I like to craft. Twee, I know, but very relaxing. Last week we had the pleasure to host a friend’s
birthday party and what a wonderful excuse that was to make a ton of bunting. I don’t want this blog to be just about dirty
old floors and a bunch of dead folk that built my house so let’s forget about
the history of <i>Chez Nous</i> for a minute
and <i>relax</i>: </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ready, steady… CRAFT! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You there, yeah, you - why not engage in
some serious buntin’ today with these easy-piecy instructions? You could very well harness your kids on it, as long as they are old enough to hold a pair of scissors safely, or
embrace your inner homemaker-goddess/god and fix yourself a smashing
garland. Because life doesn’t need to be
so damn serious all the time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All you need is: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
…plenty of pretty paper – this could be scrapbooking paper, wallpaper,
etc… whatever you fancy as long as it is big enough for your bunting. I used several 30x30cm sheets of square
scrapping paper that was patterned on both sides, but standard A4 sheet would work too.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">…paper cutter or scissors.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">…twine or string.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">…a hole punch.</span></blockquote>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLO53pTHg2RLOkAvNTSai1M-G023-btA3tx-2VBm6U4tYdKOlAUWyXusCwbdpOZGEm7Gv_lpPCqadVkgE0fPBI2Lik8BtQEHbrvfW35Xk51z0z1I-SU20NNOUHNVl6ajeSry-a0ZscjH4/s1600/bunting+tutorial+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLO53pTHg2RLOkAvNTSai1M-G023-btA3tx-2VBm6U4tYdKOlAUWyXusCwbdpOZGEm7Gv_lpPCqadVkgE0fPBI2Lik8BtQEHbrvfW35Xk51z0z1I-SU20NNOUHNVl6ajeSry-a0ZscjH4/s1600/bunting+tutorial+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">First choose your paper. I went with double sided square sheets of card
with a nice floral- and purple background, 30x30cm in size. Fold and cut the paper in half. You should be left with two rectangles half as
wide as they are tall, 15x30cm in my case.
One rectangle like this will make one “triangle” of finished bunting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Don’t worry if your chosen paper is not
square – just create rectangles that are half as wide as they are tall and you
are good to go: i.e. 10x20cm, 20x40cm and so on, depending how big you want your
“triangles” to be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRZJWpYTlz_s06mORg1_zqdBXTqgIgEcTpM2p5xi7nGSjkYktOPYvvu06-WO7_gDS45DzskhhMcLWut_nbOFPrivjRbbnJ1P0TzHfHT5XVyHH49scUWBvu1VpGNWb446PN-c2Pkx82u1-/s1600/bunting+tutorial+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRZJWpYTlz_s06mORg1_zqdBXTqgIgEcTpM2p5xi7nGSjkYktOPYvvu06-WO7_gDS45DzskhhMcLWut_nbOFPrivjRbbnJ1P0TzHfHT5XVyHH49scUWBvu1VpGNWb446PN-c2Pkx82u1-/s1600/bunting+tutorial+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Next, fold your rectangles in half, into little tents and make
a small mark on the bottom centre. Cut them into triangles by starting
from the top corners and aiming to the middle bottom mark. Cut both sides. Use a hole-punch to make a set of holes on
the top of your triangles, going through both sides of your tent-triangles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Almost done now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkztYZAvZMuYqohMZ3uLFXo7Uu-VsiReaLLQ9jWqI7EsWR9nRIPIbt-f4k-ywYZlfmGAfXeD_6u-hHMzyJqTwV5cDGsB5oPQSsso9VXIataqYzlW7e42yjP_P8MlGTlLiOktQAZ9HheMjT/s1600/bunting+tutorial+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkztYZAvZMuYqohMZ3uLFXo7Uu-VsiReaLLQ9jWqI7EsWR9nRIPIbt-f4k-ywYZlfmGAfXeD_6u-hHMzyJqTwV5cDGsB5oPQSsso9VXIataqYzlW7e42yjP_P8MlGTlLiOktQAZ9HheMjT/s1600/bunting+tutorial+3.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The last step is to thread your
bunting. I used rustic packaging string
made from raw linen, but yarn or any old string or thin ribbon would do. You can make the bunting as long as you want,
with as many triangles as you want. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Have
fun trying out different papers and threads and enjoy the buntin’! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriT9Vh3vbNM1nmJ2Q0lEEf8NxlzUl7EKF2eQSfcgKI2g4bvocWSBcU0OmqRhwODThGPh4ePmR2Jem1WE462EW7SNK0pDwS_49h8mchnvhBQPJgAAhlbU4B9G9GcrGQiJMgmCOf_jIkjZt/s1600/paper+bunting+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriT9Vh3vbNM1nmJ2Q0lEEf8NxlzUl7EKF2eQSfcgKI2g4bvocWSBcU0OmqRhwODThGPh4ePmR2Jem1WE462EW7SNK0pDwS_49h8mchnvhBQPJgAAhlbU4B9G9GcrGQiJMgmCOf_jIkjZt/s1600/paper+bunting+4.jpg" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtVo9fPtgAsSaxYsm8rdfjuo4bZTAT8w1Jmt0muWE4Mym_G9ffETwc2rSwgjWoXauDiVk8BFNwL_duWBgq8uhm_jSd5Q7N3Q1ELx_i6R5tDD50djEnR6W2bB-gNA7va0Ob71Pk9GwTCO5/s1600/bunting+bunting.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtVo9fPtgAsSaxYsm8rdfjuo4bZTAT8w1Jmt0muWE4Mym_G9ffETwc2rSwgjWoXauDiVk8BFNwL_duWBgq8uhm_jSd5Q7N3Q1ELx_i6R5tDD50djEnR6W2bB-gNA7va0Ob71Pk9GwTCO5/s1600/bunting+bunting.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
This was really a "Happy Birthday"-bunting with the message spelled out using scrap pieces of the same patterned paper, but after the celebrations I simply reversed the garland and kept it on the wall with the blank side forward. Re-think, re-use and re-cycle guys!<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /><br />So here it is - simple bunting
tutorial for craft-virgins. Some people draw mandalas, bake or go
jogging, but this is what I do to take my mind off</span> work. Plus I like this old house to look
pretty. Escapism perhaps, but who is
going to pay attention to holes on the walls when there’s a bit of bunting up?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I will be back with more regular
updates on our little renovation project <i>Chez Nous</i> in a bit, after spending time with my hubby and our wee dog, as life, especially in the South of
France, should never be too serious. In
the meantime, what would you like to hear more about? Is it the renovation and history of this old
house you fancy or tales on the life in France in general? Did my bunting really get you going? Let me know in the comments or drop me a
message and we’ll see what I can do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I love writing this blog but lately
I’ve felt it’s been a bit of a burden. To be honest, keeping it fun for me, as well as you dear reader, has been a struggle. If staying
interested in this project means less updates in favour of better content, so be
it. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With these words I bid you happy
crafting. Don’t let the stress-bugs
bite. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-10515734115055719532017-05-09T23:20:00.000+02:002017-05-09T23:20:41.268+02:00Making of.. L'Atelier d'Art Part 1 - The Floor <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoF_AdaRicJQkTslm_LRdfLfGG6d1oF9lz3dvUcbaY329O_BBugEWK8MEjtlgjut7QqX1htou1KYFtUsiibcW8ei9MIReC36FjwUX7-l1QK_iuo9NtkC_sCFQqEbfDeLfBatudK0osoF3/s1600/The+best+workspace.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwEM42Xudv-ku-DbzpgZ4A0yWa4ZovLnte9BYG4Srg36f6M1Di_g8-LIAqdg5u3shIqiw0I88P022V29xJQdWTZ5oh9PEtlN-Sa8Wb5zdT-f6BlelpiphwVsnFb48Sbv4_4z2ZV3Q7won/s1600/The+best+workspace.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwEM42Xudv-ku-DbzpgZ4A0yWa4ZovLnte9BYG4Srg36f6M1Di_g8-LIAqdg5u3shIqiw0I88P022V29xJQdWTZ5oh9PEtlN-Sa8Wb5zdT-f6BlelpiphwVsnFb48Sbv4_4z2ZV3Q7won/s1600/The+best+workspace.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With all this pesky home improvement I
have seriously neglected my awesome day job: being an artist. I don't
normally take time off my work like this, but we needed to get this old house
liveable, move our gallery into new premises <i>Chez Nous</i>, and get
married in Finland. The house is in order now, somewhat, and we are
hitched, so it was about time to get the studio sorted out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Luckily, as most of you know by now, N°21
used to be a <i>crèmerie</i> and has a neat little <i>boutique</i> downstairs, just itching to be
turned into an <i>atelier d'art. </i>We loved our old rental <i>atelier
artichoc</i> which had enough space for a big studio space and a huge
gallery but those premises had serious downfalls: even after we got proper
lighting installed, there were never enough wall sockets, no heating nor hot
water. All rather essential for an all-year-round event- and work space.
Even with a great landlord and good visibility, we felt like it was time
to move on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before setting up shop <i>Chez Nous</i>, there was this teeny-tiny
little detail to fix: a floor full of gorgeous turn of the century cement tiles
dirtier than a loo at a lorry stop.
Dominantly white cement tiles. <i>Oh boy</i>.
After the closure of the crèmerie, sometime in the late 50’s to early 60’s,
the shop front was used as a garage. Neglected
and barely sealed, the porous tiles absorbed all the grease, grime and dirt for
decades and were in a pretty grim condition when we got here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FI;">We came to view this house on a warm autumn day and
the light filtering though the frosted glass was just amazing. Even
under a layer of dirt and grime, these century old encaustic tiles steal the
show. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Normally, antique cement tiles would not
be my material of choice for an artist studio for an array of reasons: they
stain easily, are incredibly expensive to replace if damaged and difficult to
keep clean if not sealed properly. But frankly,
they were here before me, and if restoring and keeping these tiles would mean
needing to take better care while working... so be it. Paint spills and
drips are a daily occurrence in a working studio, but with a proper sealant and
a never ending supply of wet-wipes, I should be able to manage any destructive
bursts of creativity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Having had next to no bother cleaning and
sealing the other encaustic tiles in this house, I thought sorting this room
would be a piece of cake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Remind me never to be so naïve again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These types of cement tiles do not really
loose colour due to wear and tear as the pigment sits in the cement itself, but
they do, however, loose their protective finish. After the sealant is
lost, the porous cement is receptive to dirt that can be incredibly difficult
to lift by using your regular household products. Take my word for it, Mr. Propre was a
complete waste of time. In fact, any off-the-shelf cleaning product, no matter how specialised, had little to no effect
on the greasy marks embedded deep in the pores of these concrete tiles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heck, even the old de-greasing agent made no visible
progress, although it clearly got rid of <i>something</i> as all I
was left after a good couple hours of serious scrubbin' was a pair of matching
blisters on both palms and water as dirty as a sailors smile. The
clearest results were visible on the border tiles that still had their original
sealant. The centre tiles with a nice
burgundy and grey pattern on cream white background remained stained and
dull. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FI;">The tiles after a somewhat unsuccessful attempt in
de-greasing them: the border tiles on the left cleaned out a bit whereas the
tiles on the right did not react much at all to the scrubbing nor the
de-greasing cleaner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This is where a lesser (to be read: smart)
home improver would call the professionals, but not me. No. I
did, however, bully James to call a few friends for advice and soon had another
product to try: a professional grade cleaner for cement tiles and marble. This stuff was PH neutral, smelled like
lemons and came in a reassuringly boring plastic jug. By design, you were to brush the product on
with water, creating a soapy foam that would sit on the tiles without drying
for 10-20 minutes. In that time the foam
would penetrate the pores of the tiles and lift up any dirt and grease before
being brushed up and rinsed with plenty of water.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvk0d5abVnogGe9zF7X5Pq3uFtDCEr6z9SURUw5kqH_15xcwUVKyF6mUk4PPhrlJiLe_ge07oVm7rTsfnn2i13mE7WEYrRB8U8n0Aq74KEW1pKS-xp8VkI-nVrSnMCZ_kHB1NgCDrLZfLS/s1600/tiles+foam.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvk0d5abVnogGe9zF7X5Pq3uFtDCEr6z9SURUw5kqH_15xcwUVKyF6mUk4PPhrlJiLe_ge07oVm7rTsfnn2i13mE7WEYrRB8U8n0Aq74KEW1pKS-xp8VkI-nVrSnMCZ_kHB1NgCDrLZfLS/s1600/tiles+foam.png" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In reality this meant half an hour of
intense brushing, letting the stuff sink in from anything between 30 to 60
minutes, followed by more rage-brushing, tears, and some more brushing and
rinsing. I repeated the treatment twice
and hated every single second of it.
Although I could see the foam turn into a satisfying shade of <i>Yuk!</i> on each rinse, the achieved
difference was near invisible to the naked eye after each wash. Needless to say, I may have been a bit
underwhelmed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I did spy some results once the
floor had dried. The weather, although
nice and mild for most parts of the year was not quite so warm and dry as it is
now, thus prolonging the time it took for everything to stabilise. It seemed I had managed to remove some of the
worst stains as well as parts of the old sealant that had yellowed over
time. And this is where I decided to
call it. More brushing was only going to
start damaging these tiles and the dirty ones were clearly beyond rescuing, so
I went to my local hardware store and bought myself a big bad roll of wood-effect
vinyl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kidding.
God… just kidding! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUhiV14TGHHKJZg4K1-3YpMsVJjVwc0-BfSgFgPvDG-SjxgkHuL3j6gG61o6mCZylz7kxak-w7YisbES53Jc889ZNIkvSnu7061kj-Pwub180DruuY_NUaxu8cQ3k1Bk9TpqkJuC2X7cV/s1600/atelier+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUhiV14TGHHKJZg4K1-3YpMsVJjVwc0-BfSgFgPvDG-SjxgkHuL3j6gG61o6mCZylz7kxak-w7YisbES53Jc889ZNIkvSnu7061kj-Pwub180DruuY_NUaxu8cQ3k1Bk9TpqkJuC2X7cV/s1600/atelier+floor.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided to live with it. These tiles have been in place since 1910 and
I don’t really need them to look now. A
few are cracked slightly and others still bare the marks of the space being
used as a garage… but that is fine. I
never wanted this floor to look new, just less grotty and this is exactly what
I think I have achieved here. After three
coats of fresh sealant, my studio tiles certainly have got their <i>mojo</i> back, and
in a way, so have I. After all, what is
a cowboy without their horse, an artist without a studio? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qlLcDoH6k_J078RymiDDcGE4GKlZUsxb8dZDJmnSdQkC8R_c5mDfDo2xhjtSal-9cjl_BX2tmrpDKViEnZczkrDtGOnZ4ebkWr_uxZLOB1oPhOqniP-Di2X49u4TveTq9TLEhIBnvJXO/s1600/atelier+floor+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qlLcDoH6k_J078RymiDDcGE4GKlZUsxb8dZDJmnSdQkC8R_c5mDfDo2xhjtSal-9cjl_BX2tmrpDKViEnZczkrDtGOnZ4ebkWr_uxZLOB1oPhOqniP-Di2X49u4TveTq9TLEhIBnvJXO/s1600/atelier+floor+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These tiles are not new but they got a century's worth of character to compensate. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">TO BE CONTINUED… Next time on the same
atelier time, on the same atelier channel, I’ll be ranting on about painting
ceilings as a shorty, French neighbours and dog hair. </span></div>
</div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-18452694241238378362017-03-13T17:20:00.000+01:002017-03-13T17:24:14.135+01:00Raiders of the Lost Tiles <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOwjzCKTC1HBREZONf6pB2om8quEBLVOON305PNW2pMGG19rURIJQvQPYyNuCKT3uxUWfTi0LSUhu79wGbc-hW5eJ8GmNnVJ70EQzqzDRdj9sgAio4W2mt1oTtXUt6yGx5zzRypba9WOB/s1600/raiders+of+the+lost+tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOwjzCKTC1HBREZONf6pB2om8quEBLVOON305PNW2pMGG19rURIJQvQPYyNuCKT3uxUWfTi0LSUhu79wGbc-hW5eJ8GmNnVJ70EQzqzDRdj9sgAio4W2mt1oTtXUt6yGx5zzRypba9WOB/s1600/raiders+of+the+lost+tiles.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As some of you
might know, I had a summary of my modular kitchen-post published by <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/temporary-modular-solution-to-a-crumbling-french-kitchen-242231" target="_blank">ApartmentTherapy</a> and as a direct result, the traffic on Chez Nous N° 21 has increased a
fair bit. It has been amazing to read AT
community’s comments on our temporary kitchen solution, but it was our century
old cement tiles, a detail that really sold us on this old house, that stole
the show on the discussion-forum. Having
engaged in a conversation with one tile-connoisseur in particular, I was tipped
of about the endless possibilities of Le Bon Coin, a local flea market site,
with links to a couple of offers for antique cement tiles. One of these happened to be advertising a
lump of reclaimed tiles, not similar but identical to ours, and mere three hours
away from Mazamet. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Long story
short, we went and got them. We had to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was going to
write about pictures and framing this week, but as this kind stranger pointed
us to the direction of the best possible tiles for our future kitchen, you are
getting Raiders of the Lost Tiles instead – a story about road tripping to an
old Roman settlement and the perilous journey back with a boot full of cement
tiles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">This was
supposed to be a weekend of 6 Nations rugby and some serious gardening, but my
husband wasted no time contacting the seller and organising a <i>rendez-vous</i>. Until now every material we considered for
the floor of our future kitchen had felt like a compromise. This was really a
once in a life time opportunity to replace the current 80’s porcelain tiles
with something more courteous to the age and style of this house. As we were already travelling over 200
kilometres to see these tiles, we decided to make a night of it and stay in a
nearby city of Arles, an ancient Roman settlement on the river Rhône. James hunted down a nice pet-friendly hotel
close to the centre so we were able to take our dog Rusty with us too. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP2Ze3Q2bLQoW5zoFwTRE9HvEZ10rN8qyLM0ri4dtTu6DMxDJ_8O7JNTvArRZf_Joq1UoayJpJS8nrAmAaRAuBFxNBVh9gC95uRdtVcOIpnf1SThpxdtclKUUThNznOUHLhDUgq6-MRox/s1600/carreaux+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP2Ze3Q2bLQoW5zoFwTRE9HvEZ10rN8qyLM0ri4dtTu6DMxDJ_8O7JNTvArRZf_Joq1UoayJpJS8nrAmAaRAuBFxNBVh9gC95uRdtVcOIpnf1SThpxdtclKUUThNznOUHLhDUgq6-MRox/s1600/carreaux+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Shut-Up Rusty,
or just Rusty for short, is our third family member, adopted in January. To fill you in, he is an Alsatian-cross who
likes long walks on the beach, ham and plenty of belly rubs. This was quite likely his first ever stay in
a hotel and <i>oh boy</i> he was ever so
well behaved. Lucky us, he also loves
riding in the car. And speaking of cars…
here’s a word of caution for any of those looking to pick up over 15m² of
cement tiles. They are heavy as hell;
heavy enough to seriously damage your vehicles suspension or the axel if not
balanced properly. You’d be a proper
bell-end not to hire a van. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Naturally, we
headed on our way in our humble Laguna estate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The seller of
these tiles was asking a “fair offer” for his reclaimed tiles and he accepted
ours after a little haggle. Each deal
made on Le Bon Coin is different, but so far we had nothing but great luck with
the things we bought and the people we have dealt with. I kid you not, we found our house on Le Bon
Coin! The guy who showed us the tiles on
behalf of his wife was very professional and really helpful to the point of
coming to meet us in a traffic stop after their address turned out not to be on
the navigator. He even helped us loading
up the Laguna. Without trying to be
disrespectful, (our offer was pretty damn close to what they were thinking
about anyway) I have seen these types of
tiles go for nearly ten times that on dedicated salvage websites. Driving three hours to view something you saw
online may seem excessive, but for a deal like this, we would have done twice miles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JCixRN9K32y95_yIywQyXPDFYUo0qLWj9ZWiQSJ91UCpMVv5z2ZXF2pGs1X5cp8Aqnachudk4BAC-xxGQ0mJBvOvYa8IX5sFOTRG_Y_YGXLuvp9LLhUwa7N1OBl8zvdBEjRX-GF1t7mC/s1600/arles+rusty+hotel.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JCixRN9K32y95_yIywQyXPDFYUo0qLWj9ZWiQSJ91UCpMVv5z2ZXF2pGs1X5cp8Aqnachudk4BAC-xxGQ0mJBvOvYa8IX5sFOTRG_Y_YGXLuvp9LLhUwa7N1OBl8zvdBEjRX-GF1t7mC/s1600/arles+rusty+hotel.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">And besides, Arles
turned out to be beautiful! We had the
weather on our side, a high of 25 that day and not a single cloud on the
sky. Having packed up our new purchase we
checked in to the Hôtel Le Rodin, a tidy little place that was more than happy
to accept dogs as big as our Rusty. The
service was wonderful and the hotel was situated within walking distance of the
city centre – our next stop as by the time we had fed our pupper it was pretty
much beer a clock. So we had a pit stop
of dark craft beer and local cheese + a small plate of charcuterie, seated
at the terrace of Picador, a bar with their own deli, near the old
amphitheatre.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSLGvYKziqkPIlgJymhE-maE6oUvWfOSw6K9hIhMiPp91-45QR-JP8yi6PWhi2qPaAiwAt-ntefyPZJolZKwJ9QR679EeVgDV2gPcCQ0V0IqGj9JjtNoe7yMICvw_y8NbAfICTeKVfrsW/s1600/Arles+food+and+drink.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSLGvYKziqkPIlgJymhE-maE6oUvWfOSw6K9hIhMiPp91-45QR-JP8yi6PWhi2qPaAiwAt-ntefyPZJolZKwJ9QR679EeVgDV2gPcCQ0V0IqGj9JjtNoe7yMICvw_y8NbAfICTeKVfrsW/s1600/Arles+food+and+drink.png" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">After checking
out few of the main attractions, being hurried along by Rusty who was
frantically looking for a grassy spot to do his business, we found a little
restaurant called l’Autruche – the ostrich, which had just re-opened. They, like most businesses in France to be
honest, were happy to have a dog lounging in our feet as we tucked into their daily-changing
set menu of locally sourced produce.
James and I both chose fresh asparagus, served with a soft boiled egg, a
small salad and pureed greens. A superb
starter to go with our chosen bottle of organic wine, which James followed up
with a combo of a lamb chop & tatties, and I with flaky white fish, steamed
and seasoned, on a bed of green lentils.
Not normally a huge fan of the bio wines, I enjoyed this red – it was a
lot lighter than expected, almost like the new season’s stuff, apparently due
to the lack of sulphites that help to preserve the flavour in wine produced using
the traditional methods. The tipple came
warmly recommended by the owner, who was really damn nice. For a Friday night, it was pretty quiet
everywhere. We felt a bit like crashing
a private party – everyone here was clearly pretty well acquainted…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">But
hey-ho. We did stay for a second plate of
cheese that day to end the evening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In the morning
we were faced with a task of redistributing yesterday's loot in a manner that our Laguna wouldn’t
brake in half during the hard drive home. That
meant fitting as many tiles as it was safely possible into the front passenger seat, thus seating myself in the back with Rusty.
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME, folks.
Just because we and our vehicle survived, it doesn’t mean it was a good
idea. As the bottom of our estate was
nearly scraping ground all the way to Mazamet, we chose to favour the
motorway. Pity, as otherwise we would
have taken a detour to see where the couple that built our house came from. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Based on the
details they left behind, we have a reason to believe the original owners had a
<a href="https://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2017/02/the-forgotten-symbolism-of-ornament.html" target="_blank">connection to a village called Blauvac</a> an hour and half away from Arles. Down to the design and colour, the tiles of
our kitchen and the ones we just purchased are identical indicating they came
from the same factory. These types of
encaustic cement tiles are still being manufactured by hand, using the
traditional colours and patterns, most prominently in Marocco. Our motif is pretty rare and typical to these
parts of the South of France, so it is reasonable to assume there might have
been a factory manufacturing them in the region. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbAAGlON7pymXn2ELAT8ZJ5XM_IXyikRd3r9SSB9FMCgV8nziVn03qf-KyAVKqaYfCD5tXVcYTMmL32mqD-g44-pGMp-m3oVlmlAw_iQ2kghBN2c3UV_S1ONY9D23cR6kSQPNwnSIxEAA/s1600/kitchen+tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbAAGlON7pymXn2ELAT8ZJ5XM_IXyikRd3r9SSB9FMCgV8nziVn03qf-KyAVKqaYfCD5tXVcYTMmL32mqD-g44-pGMp-m3oVlmlAw_iQ2kghBN2c3UV_S1ONY9D23cR6kSQPNwnSIxEAA/s1600/kitchen+tiles.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I couldn’t
resist digging around online and it seems, indeed, that the biggest cement
works producing encaustic cement tiles, <i>Cimenterie
Lafarge</i>, was based in the village of Viviers in the department of Ardèche
since 1850. Their tiles were initially
reserved for the <i>bourgeoisie</i> but soon
became popular everywhere. Sadly the
production was ceased in France by the 1970’s; colourful cement tiles featuring intricate
geometric- or stylised floral motifs, had fallen out of vogue in favour of
ceramic tiles which were a lot cheaper to manufacture. In 1910, however, when our house was built,
encaustic designs were still all the rage.
It may be relevant to mention that Viviers, the centre of cement works
in the South of France, is situated an hour and a bit from Blauvac as well as
hour and a half away from Arles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I present my case:
our tiles are made in France, not so far from where the builders of my house
might have come from. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">They rest safely
in out cellar now, waiting to be cleaned and re-sealed before being installed
into the room downstairs that is to be our new kitchen. It will not be any time soon – perhaps the summer
next year, but I am glad we did not let this opportunity to
slip through our fingers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Random stranger
from the Apartment Therapy forum – thank you a million times for finding out
about this seller and his wonderful tiles!
We couldn’t have done it without you.
And an honourable mention for our Renault Laguna, you are the best. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Arles, Ranska43.676647 4.62777689999995842.940042000000005 3.3368833999999579 44.413252 5.9186703999999581tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-92137824828682602462017-03-07T15:31:00.000+01:002017-03-07T15:31:09.941+01:00Little Bathroom of Horrors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zeJsSrxuWFtwkVcA_4eVGa4Q_8MlgSxp8Np55SwPIWboKQiEDfFN5lAnts6TiyL91mgRuTjgjxJWu94tpiqS6ApBPLwJ1NHz6cT9vi5yVWym3KZ4lC9IameVH7zwx5QbAoTLSbkd9YRc/s1600/The+little+bathroom+of+horrors.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zeJsSrxuWFtwkVcA_4eVGa4Q_8MlgSxp8Np55SwPIWboKQiEDfFN5lAnts6TiyL91mgRuTjgjxJWu94tpiqS6ApBPLwJ1NHz6cT9vi5yVWym3KZ4lC9IameVH7zwx5QbAoTLSbkd9YRc/s1600/The+little+bathroom+of+horrors.png" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little bog,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little bog o'horrors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little bog,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little bog o'terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Call a cop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Little bog o'horrors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">No, oh, oh, no-oh!</span> </div>
</blockquote>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Yeah. This is where we were just a few short months ago - stuck with a gross loo and a bath that could make a grown man gag. Luckily, after a deep clean, what had felt like a sick joke was revealed to be a pretty decent little bathroom with relatively new fixtures. We then set out to make it, not just liveable but pretty, on a minimal budget and armed only with my painting expertise and James' endless trust in the power of DIY. </span></div>
</div>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTw4T3ht_cfQJ7xihve2oOuoBL_UQg87NjdOxASodIf11K2_bXknTCP_XKpSC3evPwlpPBpR-_484Pl9LX8piKcfQ0IL6_6ZXDyQO__lpiVTX-jOHz6mlb5RO5-9T0aNr47h7J4xAMRiT/s1600/before+bog.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTw4T3ht_cfQJ7xihve2oOuoBL_UQg87NjdOxASodIf11K2_bXknTCP_XKpSC3evPwlpPBpR-_484Pl9LX8piKcfQ0IL6_6ZXDyQO__lpiVTX-jOHz6mlb5RO5-9T0aNr47h7J4xAMRiT/s1600/before+bog.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken on the day we first viewed this old house. Something needed to be done. Fast. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">From the long list of complaints, the mouldy wallpaper was first to go.
I can only ask what sort of a sick bastard would choose floor-to-ceiling
wallpaper for a wet space in the beginning with - Jesus H Roosevelt Christ, it
was even IN THE SHOWER! The only thing
keeping the plaster work dry was a layer of ancient gloss paint, in
better-than-expected condition, but stained with god-only-knows-what. We
were lucky to find out the tiles, on the walls and the floor, were mostly
intact and usable as was the bath, although all of the grout lines had been
painted with the strangest shade of acid green.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I know. And don't even get me started on the Asterix-stickers...
for shits shake. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This is the only useable bathroom in the house so our only option was to
focus on small changes to make this space more practical. We patched all
the holes, gave the walls a new lick of paint and replaced a few small details
such as the mirror, the shower head and the toilet seat. The layout could
be more functional for a narrow space and eventually I want to do something to
cover up the very invasive waste pipe coming down from the upstairs loo, but
for the time being I am pretty happy with what we got here.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzPGv-4nutglkdV5JWaJI0hl5x7PCeoj7v2imyAh3Wry9CA1ux3KuFZiVZ-f3nygHFwSLPUItpUfwUMrPnYa9M7_kbTVIWk3NCwlNHYe4o_7kjP9qnjxa4tWUiB21W8aNGrix9kmrjhxc/s1600/before+bog+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzPGv-4nutglkdV5JWaJI0hl5x7PCeoj7v2imyAh3Wry9CA1ux3KuFZiVZ-f3nygHFwSLPUItpUfwUMrPnYa9M7_kbTVIWk3NCwlNHYe4o_7kjP9qnjxa4tWUiB21W8aNGrix9kmrjhxc/s1600/before+bog+2.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As if the frosty minty wallpaper was not ugly enough, all metalwork in this bathroom was painted in the strangest shade of acid green. On the right you see a comparison of the wallpaper and what we found underneath; banged up and stained sage green gloss paint. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Our aim was to create a fresh, modern space that would reflect the
character of this old house as well as our taste, so we chose a moody shade of
sage green, a bit darker from the original colour of the room, and paired it
with a dominant, crisp white with hints of blush pink. Sage is something
we have going on a lot in this house and it felt like a good contrast for white that was used to bring light to this small and enclosed space.
Together with the grey of the exposed plumbing and the deep blue of the floor
mosaic, I had a complete colour palette to work with. James took a bit of
convincing on the blush, but I think the finished article works rather well.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4HmL95Z1GRQnYMFvc7xNXUSTPDgmV4j_Z7pvpvpAWu1PKjBidikSG6FFsJCcvqlSfpSVJSIVK0_EuspiEptf4ery1aIf_NXkJM7GuLBmPUeBgq18hjGR08UfseGz44HS2BPFKjIkvvDh/s1600/colour+palette+for+bathroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4HmL95Z1GRQnYMFvc7xNXUSTPDgmV4j_Z7pvpvpAWu1PKjBidikSG6FFsJCcvqlSfpSVJSIVK0_EuspiEptf4ery1aIf_NXkJM7GuLBmPUeBgq18hjGR08UfseGz44HS2BPFKjIkvvDh/s1600/colour+palette+for+bathroom.png" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Choosing a über-trendy colour such as blush pink can be a bit risky, but if
you truly love a shade, trendy or not, why hesitate? Life is too short to
fret about decor anyway. On the flip side, it might be a good idea,
before putting your money down, to think how easy a trendy detail is to change
if and when the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">fab</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> turns </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">naff</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> and how much
it would cost you to do so. As we were not ordering a custom kitchen or
spending hundreds on paint, I felt comfortable experimenting a bit. If we
ever get bored with our little bathroom, repainting it would not bust our balls
or our budget. </span></span></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> This was my check list for the project: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- re-attach a few
cracked tiles below the bathroom mirror<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- patch holes in the
plaster and a few on the floor <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- Replace the mirror -
it was damaged as well as ugly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- fix or replace a
broken shower head<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- attach a rail for a
shower curtain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- patch holes on the
door and adjust the fit (the door did not close properly)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- Sort out all grout
lines that have been painted over with that gross green gloss<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- replace the toilet
seat with something more comfortable<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- create storage for
toiletries, towels etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- paint the walls,
plumbing, tub surround and all trims<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- Patch up the paint in
the ceiling above the bath/shower<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- attach a new towel
rail closer to the bath/shower<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- remove old towel hooks
that were too far from the bath/shower<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">- decorate like a boss</span> <span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We did not have a set budget, but incredibly I ended up spending less than 300 euros on this update, bulk of if being the cost of paint. As there was no plumbing or electrical work for the time being, I was able to do all of it myself, thus avoiding to pay for labour entirely. Because we had to complete the painting while using the bathroom and wait to get the paint delivered, the whole process took a couple of months. It could have been a week's project for somebody with the materials at hand and another shower to use but taking it easy gave us time to think what we really wanted from this mini-renovation; what was necessary and what was not. <br /><br />The paint I used had to be oil based in able to adhere to the old gloss base, so I picked self-undercoating <i>Dulux Trade Eggshell</i> in <i>Brilliant White</i> for the long walls, and <i>Dulux Valentine Laque</i> in <i>Sage 4</i> and <i>Framboise 2</i> for the accents. We were in luck to have a friend pick us up some British paint as it can be silly expensive here in France. Some say it's not the same stuff either - and they are right; most Dulux paints sold in France are adjusted to the French taste in both colour and composition. They are also largely made in France, therefore different from the ones sold in your average building supply store in the UK. Not available beyond the French-speaking market, the <i>Valentine</i> gloss with a satin finish was pleasant to use and dried pretty quickly. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbraZeLebkIwbEbaUnKnTLYhbNZUTkWIk0dPtl0ED-EALwkOAIdQB-oyN3Net5chKK-B-QwhBU3giCJVtzzJ1MD45FPAoI8VMxtR0luIi2UHYkJLnZwGMEs4ZziEp5_pPGKrGduT-8LCug/s1600/IMG_2292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbraZeLebkIwbEbaUnKnTLYhbNZUTkWIk0dPtl0ED-EALwkOAIdQB-oyN3Net5chKK-B-QwhBU3giCJVtzzJ1MD45FPAoI8VMxtR0luIi2UHYkJLnZwGMEs4ZziEp5_pPGKrGduT-8LCug/s1600/IMG_2292.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So the painting begins... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I did not need to use a primer when painting the sage accent walls as the
transition between the old and new shades was minimal, but I did use a cheap
white gloss I had left over from a previous project to go under the blush pink
to stop the 90's acid green from showing through. Applying a proper
primer takes time, but I would always recommend using one when you are painting
a new wall or transitioning between two very different shades, especially when
going from dark to light. Primer helps the paint to adhere to the surface
you are transforming and stops stains or the previous colour from showing
through over time. Also, a layer of primer will save you time and money
on the top coats by stopping the wall from absorbing the paint too quickly - you
get better and more even results while using less paint.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Another thing to keep in mind when using any oil/solvent based products is good
ventilation - this stuff can get your head spinning. It is best to wear a
mask when painting and take care handling any thinners or the paint itself as
they are toxic enough to harm your skin. Not to mention flammable.
You must clean your tools with white spirit or turpentine and dispose all
left over liquids and paint by taking them to a collection point. Public </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">déchèteries</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> accept
paint scraps in France, but check the advice of your local council if unsure
what to do where you are based.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">As a general rule, you can use gloss over emulsion but never the other way
around. The emulsion or any standard water based product* will not adhere
to a base painted in non-water-soluble paint - it will just crack and
flake off. Most household paints today are water-based and whole walls
painted in gloss, such as those in our bathroom, are highly unusual.
Historic homes have their quirks, but as an average decorator, you are
more likely to stumble on an oil based product on trims, window sills and
baseboards. Replacing gloss with gloss is easy, but by stripping the
surface bare, followed by a primer, you can use any type of paint. Modern
emulsion paints are hard wearing and come in all sorts of finishes so you can
achieve the look of old-style gloss without using a messy oil based product. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">* There are a lot of contemporary innovations that allow all sorts of
witchcraft, but I am not an expert on those. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Dulux Trade Eggshell</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">, like most professional products, is
limited in shades, but it is excellent value for the performance you get.
I enjoyed using it and being a qualified painter of one sort, did not
find it difficult to manage cleaning wise. The scent of the product
is stronger than of those aimed for regular DIY use and you need to clean all the
equipment used with white spirit or another suitable brush cleaner. You can buy the stuff without a trade license, but I wouldn't recommend it for beginners as there
are plenty of products that get you the same results but are a lot more user friendly. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7IVbnBaWUGxbPYHTXzzops3EeMDLSPURtutbHGVY9zQ-EKnIcb-aSPbe2aWK5-3bXVembnd_Z1KBi6vibB7Xyv-0PybdRKjinYpLMVLeIINqDS4ezgMnOfKjg_2Tp9-X-Qi0acbr3mr4/s1600/after+bathroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7IVbnBaWUGxbPYHTXzzops3EeMDLSPURtutbHGVY9zQ-EKnIcb-aSPbe2aWK5-3bXVembnd_Z1KBi6vibB7Xyv-0PybdRKjinYpLMVLeIINqDS4ezgMnOfKjg_2Tp9-X-Qi0acbr3mr4/s1600/after+bathroom.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clean and neat AFTER shots. I am very pleased how it all turned out. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The manufacturer recommends two coats and I found this to be sufficient - even
on a larger than normal surface such as my bathroom walls, where you really do
not want brush marks or other imperfections. I used a wide synthetic
brush to save paint and enable me to reach behind awkward pipework, the
radiator etc. and a smaller one for the wooden trims. You could use a
roller just as well, but for the most even results, choose one that is designed
for oil based paints and prepare for a cleaning session from hell.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Thankfully, my James with his formidable 6’6 frame took over the roller in
order to paint the ceiling. This was a
simple emulsion job and we chose to use </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Dulux
Bathroom +</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> that repels mould and is guaranteed to last a minimum of five years.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqs0fO42NL6ubBwaoT96jUvp8IPdw9fIaIEDUQ-juIk3XUeqHzIR88ccJT55NisS8ZVv-cGCTJvZLQzXGOsYL_SYzZbgVcxnZHaPyrDYhd6J7sx85ksuILJ3N8m_ZXAJY0rTv5jPWRLC8z/s1600/collage+bathroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqs0fO42NL6ubBwaoT96jUvp8IPdw9fIaIEDUQ-juIk3XUeqHzIR88ccJT55NisS8ZVv-cGCTJvZLQzXGOsYL_SYzZbgVcxnZHaPyrDYhd6J7sx85ksuILJ3N8m_ZXAJY0rTv5jPWRLC8z/s1600/collage+bathroom.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This unit used to be in our kitchen, now it hold all of our toiletries and a formidable stack of towels. Not a shabby space for a spa day. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Having finished painting the room we needed to decide on storage. Not being a fan of open shelving in a wet
space myself, we decided on a vintage unit bought originally for our kitchen in
Bretagne. The chest is just about narrow
enough for this bathroom and has plenty of draws and shelves for our toiletries
and towels. The existing marble shelf
above the sink was cleaned and kept for our toothbrushes and it looks pretty nice
with the new mirror thrifted from a local </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">depot
vente</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">. The dark wood of the storage
unit, a fancy new toilet seat (</span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">mahogany</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">,
baby!) and the mirror frame really tie the different elements in this bathroom
together. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAqHs1KPkv503BCsRHbH73tAqUDv3xECG3TWDTy_tH_8a0diAQ5KYd-1Y3t4XT-FSkKfi1AhF68t-s2D4pZT8zSogETr44VYqYsB0atroBHxBHaMCfToZvq7AIACOCJmrWIrZZDuMAzeG/s1600/bathroom+mirror+duo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAqHs1KPkv503BCsRHbH73tAqUDv3xECG3TWDTy_tH_8a0diAQ5KYd-1Y3t4XT-FSkKfi1AhF68t-s2D4pZT8zSogETr44VYqYsB0atroBHxBHaMCfToZvq7AIACOCJmrWIrZZDuMAzeG/s1600/bathroom+mirror+duo.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mirror is not currently fixed on the wall, but rests on a shallow marble self above the sink. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The towel hooks that were inconveniently far away from the bath were taken
down and replaced with chrome-finished towel rings. Our old textiles such as the bathmat and the
shower curtain were still in a perfect working order so we did not feel the
need to replace any of them. The accessories,
too, were from our old hoard of stuff, merely repurposed to suit this bog.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrbxoEzUwUvWSACvDwB8Yr1JPJd2MmiCWF7wmC7aFPd2_ca0SKN8Ugkx8JyILTbfLRmDNOfLA8paPAMzIozu2J2lsP0ywMb2kQ695mhgPdahIIlRE6OpIApG2Niw0W4ap-zeUqfYWDGRE/s1600/finlayson+towels.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrbxoEzUwUvWSACvDwB8Yr1JPJd2MmiCWF7wmC7aFPd2_ca0SKN8Ugkx8JyILTbfLRmDNOfLA8paPAMzIozu2J2lsP0ywMb2kQ695mhgPdahIIlRE6OpIApG2Niw0W4ap-zeUqfYWDGRE/s1600/finlayson+towels.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finlayson towels - this pattern is called Elefantti and it was designed in 1969 by Laila Koskela. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I think it is justified to claim this Little Bathroom of Horrors has been
completely rehabilitated. As it stands,
it is a clean, welcoming and sweet-smelling space – no mouldy wallpaper in
sight. No longer do I have to recite Hail
Mary’s whilst seated on my porcelain.. ahem.. </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">mahogany</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> throne nor feel dirty after taking a shower! And I cannot underestimate the importance of
this update – after a functioning kitchen, bathroom is the most important room
in the house for me; it is an oasis to escape to after a hard day of living on
a building site. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Or removing Asterix-stickers from other surfaces around the house. <i>Bastards.</i> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">But going back to the bathrooms... my bubble bath is waiting! *Crabs the ice cold flute of </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Blanquet</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> and turns up <i>Steve Wright</i>. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-34008145317352689772017-02-27T14:18:00.000+01:002017-02-27T14:18:55.336+01:00The Great Curtain Cover-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX9nCQ2EeRQIIu6TomuBRXMmMOi_ZR0xpg_3ZjlxII4i_xL9-kSwB16ISRz-SvP6WdChjNWNbxHQD8xIq7HN4GyoLG6WK1wDUdpzXqlac5sJsHPEyuf0RBwxCaKwyvuvxHv3zIEO6p7fI/s1600/The+Great+Curtain+Cover-Up.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX9nCQ2EeRQIIu6TomuBRXMmMOi_ZR0xpg_3ZjlxII4i_xL9-kSwB16ISRz-SvP6WdChjNWNbxHQD8xIq7HN4GyoLG6WK1wDUdpzXqlac5sJsHPEyuf0RBwxCaKwyvuvxHv3zIEO6p7fI/s1600/The+Great+Curtain+Cover-Up.png" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In these few short months I have had the
privilege to live in this charming old house, I learned a few practical lessons
in restoration work, but most valuably, gained some patience to help me cope
with the fact that we cannot start putting everything right <i>all at once</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As our beloved N°21 had been empty for
over a decade, the first steps in restoring this house to its former glory were
intended simply to make it habitable again.
Coming to the end of February, we have succeeded in crafting ourselves
an adorably <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2017/02/les-nouveaux-bohemiens.html" target="_blank">bohemian bedroom</a> where there used to be nothing but dirt and dead
bats, a dinky but functional <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2017/02/my-modular-kitchen.html" target="_blank">modular kitchen</a> and a two unfinished but
comfortable rooms of living and dining space.
Not to mention the little loo of horrors we turned into the clean and functional
bathroom it is now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But after all of the absolutely necessary
work is done – where do you go next? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is some structural work to be done
in the next few years including patching up parts of the roof and insulating
the entire attic floor as well as re-framing spaces to accommodate a few toilets
and a large kitchen-diner. All the
plasterwork can be assessed and fixed once the frame of the building dries, most
likely during next summer and the shutters, window sills and doors need to be
painted before next year’s winter storms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ic5rhF7NrfTZ1kxY8e2CwS-ALQZwKsWW_qW9EZQml75PUsM2j0ajTA820Gd6teu2TZdM7_Ec38zrtkMYJyEuL2PDF-LzgNywNmCgcz8KNlNx3Jh_ZB5LUprxjl_RDhAzXSKg-fhdQ0MK/s1600/kihla+banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ic5rhF7NrfTZ1kxY8e2CwS-ALQZwKsWW_qW9EZQml75PUsM2j0ajTA820Gd6teu2TZdM7_Ec38zrtkMYJyEuL2PDF-LzgNywNmCgcz8KNlNx3Jh_ZB5LUprxjl_RDhAzXSKg-fhdQ0MK/s1600/kihla+banner.png" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not a weekend project – we would
love to be able to finish bulk of it in five years, but you never know. Old houses are like hen-dos in Vegas; if you
don’t keep your cool they can drain all your money, soon followed by your will
to live. So as we are still getting used
to living <i>Chez Nous</i>, we are taking it
easy, for now, assessing our priorities and harbouring an uncomfortably close
relationship with Pinterest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t get me wrong, understanding our
priorities won’t make me hate the rough edges of our dwelling any less! On the contrary. But before the time comes to start hammering
out the crap, I must be creative in hiding what I can’t change in the interim. From the long list of complaints, the time
has come for the raw concrete scarring in our current dining room. I can’t start plastering it out yet, nor is
it sensible as we have plans to extend the existing French doors with a
panoramic window. The next best thing,
naturally, is to hide the problem and pretend it does not exist – and this is
exactly what I set out to do when I started sewing curtains for an imaginary
window. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwEaaE8a7sOuZ0hjdpR-mWu4NzkR7Di_U-GBJ_q_DnvtnJVAcqDFy2uAiDp2j-vD1s7ROXLzP68Lypm_-_hkjD-M9-U67qAll7T_YLRo8NvrLLCSG1uVRBilEa6zAcaIKb_TSEB1d6-lp/s1600/before+curtain+cover+up.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwEaaE8a7sOuZ0hjdpR-mWu4NzkR7Di_U-GBJ_q_DnvtnJVAcqDFy2uAiDp2j-vD1s7ROXLzP68Lypm_-_hkjD-M9-U67qAll7T_YLRo8NvrLLCSG1uVRBilEa6zAcaIKb_TSEB1d6-lp/s1600/before+curtain+cover+up.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our dining room before we moved in and after some light touch-ups, including partial wallpaper removal. The bare patch of concrete sticks out like a sore thumb. </span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily I had plenty of fabric to cover
up the whole mess. While looking for décor
for our wedding in Finland last December, we raided a Finlayson Outlet Store in
my old home town in Forssa and picked up over 10 meters of their <i>Kihla</i>-fabric from a bargain bin of
off-cuts. Designed by Sami Vulli, the
pattern is inspired by Finlayson’s graphic motifs from the 60’s and 70’s, and
features stylised wedding rings*.
Although we needed to cut some of the cotton we bought in order to have
enough table runners for the wedding, I managed to sew two sets of narrow panel
curtains, one wider curtain and a new doggy bed cover for our Rusty with a good
couple of meters still remaining. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Although we did not know it at the
time. I literally just googled the name of the pattern for this blog. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf9SSiuloYzph-T2t15O4h-K94uPEaKFUJyA6oMiG8lhmBsu4vi0MN5Ykg8Y_LqrhE_JZsYPW4BaQ1ew56b1L_-YhINN_dslA0LjIp4NK1-1enRKUNqmEAqppzugEtdTH-Ze5LwJ5O0Qp/s1600/wedding+kihla.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf9SSiuloYzph-T2t15O4h-K94uPEaKFUJyA6oMiG8lhmBsu4vi0MN5Ykg8Y_LqrhE_JZsYPW4BaQ1ew56b1L_-YhINN_dslA0LjIp4NK1-1enRKUNqmEAqppzugEtdTH-Ze5LwJ5O0Qp/s1600/wedding+kihla.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The happy nuptials: These snaps are from our very hand crafted wedding. We needed to cut some of the fabric for the table runners, but no-sewing was required, merely a creative hand wielding an iron. </span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have always been a fan of Finlayson. To be honest it could not be
avoided growing up in a city like Forssa where a large selection of their
fabrics used to be made. Comparing
Finlayson textiles to other better known Finnish producers such as Marimekko,
theirs were always the working horse of fabrics and soft furnishings, durable
and affordable, but no less iconic from their rivals. In the recent years they have re-introduced a
load of their old classics, from retro patterns to the Moomins, and launched new
lines that turned out to be amazingly popular such as the Tom of Finland
collection. As Finlayson Co is getting
increasingly known overseas, especially in East-Asia, the prices have increased
too. We were able to rummage through
their bargains and buy our <i>Kihla</i>-fabric
for 15€ a kilo, but I would have happily dished out the full price (approx.
20-25€ per metre) for this lovely piece of thick cotton – in my experience it
is hard wearing and washes well without losing colour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But going back to the task at hand: sewing curtains can be just as easy
or as hard as you want and I made mine super simple. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will be adding a white liner when
these are hanging on an actual window, but for the minute I left the back side
blank to enable me to adjust the length easily if needed. Having zig-zagged all the rough edges to
avoid fraying I pressed my seams before sewing them to make everything run as
smoothly as possible. Not really being a
sewing-wizard myself, these curtains turned out surprisingly nicely. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tBl11dSACV4eE5lA5MvPjaQlV_iMjHjM_Dp-RDWL0268FQZgHPhyphenhyphenFnZf_Ne3DjKfryoQQmb-_N3_whvbtVl2bL5vehfXLbgU4kcAz6cy7MBqceJoVqRN_TtvV4zyrc7RmzYCD2T5ME-9/s1600/sewing+curtains.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tBl11dSACV4eE5lA5MvPjaQlV_iMjHjM_Dp-RDWL0268FQZgHPhyphenhyphenFnZf_Ne3DjKfryoQQmb-_N3_whvbtVl2bL5vehfXLbgU4kcAz6cy7MBqceJoVqRN_TtvV4zyrc7RmzYCD2T5ME-9/s1600/sewing+curtains.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most difficult part was to get the
pattern match between both double panels, especially when most of these bits I
used for the curtains had been half-arsedly ripped to size for the wedding. The whole project took me around a day from ironing
the properly ruffled up fabric to finishing the hems. One of the panels is a tiny bit shorten than
its peers and another still bears a faint ghost of red wine spilled at the merriment
of our marriage ceremony, but hey, they’ll do fine for the job. The two picked our for this project were roughly the cleanest and just wide enough to cover that fugly wall. So bye bye nasty concrete – hello retro vibes! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglku8fZzFTI81WF46IgLRdhQaIT3vaD5lnsUJfNckRIYKbeCRNLp2kqmQP3C2JEU_gxmHTBqTylpZCWF76BbFeETZ98BVjdR1pc8w_OYKmrlKoSNCHuVk_9XVAavjPDrgBU0xANwh1DDln/s1600/curtain+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglku8fZzFTI81WF46IgLRdhQaIT3vaD5lnsUJfNckRIYKbeCRNLp2kqmQP3C2JEU_gxmHTBqTylpZCWF76BbFeETZ98BVjdR1pc8w_OYKmrlKoSNCHuVk_9XVAavjPDrgBU0xANwh1DDln/s1600/curtain+after.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After: finished curtains<i> in situ</i>. </span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the whole 6’6 of James helping me
with the rods, thankfully. Getting them
somewhat levelled on my own would have been a mission impossible, especially as
the ceiling in this room sags just enough to make everything look crooked
regardless. In fact, we had to fix them in place twice, perfectly level at first and then crooked to match the profile of the ceiling - now the end result appears somewhat straight. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tackling this little eye
sore really came to show that putting things out of sight does get them off
your mind. Or I am just pretty good
avoiding life’s little pitfalls! Either way, this dining room is slowly but surely starting to feel like home. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEY_VmZcVlDaDDRIqAr7kVeMqSBjrB-ySIQ000eRRARGcwu0R9JkS6nQ4SWt9fs6SROXF1aBkD_l3ZmdFHj_Fx6aUup_B7dwTuhCW2NnZ5XYW3cqzZQ8dLdF7e15J2gd0HtFc5Aeb-vxG/s1600/curtain+after+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEY_VmZcVlDaDDRIqAr7kVeMqSBjrB-ySIQ000eRRARGcwu0R9JkS6nQ4SWt9fs6SROXF1aBkD_l3ZmdFHj_Fx6aUup_B7dwTuhCW2NnZ5XYW3cqzZQ8dLdF7e15J2gd0HtFc5Aeb-vxG/s1600/curtain+after+2.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sorry what... A G&T? Don't mind if I do! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-79790737028772501952017-02-21T16:00:00.000+01:002017-02-21T16:09:28.163+01:00DIY Lightbox <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQslid1rMfFKV9K-mxdBs7MVOgTw5pMzSQ5zThYF841m5FBUHYQmW4EptCb1yo8hLXp4MsrL4_1EWtXliuBZHV_MN0GrnU8hm31hwCIYQ4y54CEGEkTvsBa7DJFX7V5WYi_07oj0TMGT5/s1600/DIY+lightbox.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQslid1rMfFKV9K-mxdBs7MVOgTw5pMzSQ5zThYF841m5FBUHYQmW4EptCb1yo8hLXp4MsrL4_1EWtXliuBZHV_MN0GrnU8hm31hwCIYQ4y54CEGEkTvsBa7DJFX7V5WYi_07oj0TMGT5/s1600/DIY+lightbox.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am about to
take all the credit for it, but this DIY is really a creation of my darling
James’ gadget oriented imagination. In
fact, it was he who salvaged this long forgotten print screen of mine when visiting
family in Finland and thought about turning it into a light box. The pattern, or more accurately, a negative
of a pattern the screen was made for, would have looked nice enough on our wall
without additional fiddling, but fixing an LED-system behind the frame really
helped to bring out the beauty of this relic from my teenage past.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And making one
yourself is dead easy; all you need is a frame of some description, covered
with a material that lets light through and a strip of LED-lights. We used a self-adhesive kit, but other kind of lights would do just fine. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENDuEvyiqDKCzekAxc6ASVuKIkx7pB_W5lfgY6ZNEwnVd-z3Vqqyhhbm9ammo85sRU432DR3uotGQHMbz20vWUUdkHt5639pHek6FuKDFbpGtJ2WeSM0INex9yRHpmiLL2DxMmZls3muk/s1600/DIY+lightbox+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENDuEvyiqDKCzekAxc6ASVuKIkx7pB_W5lfgY6ZNEwnVd-z3Vqqyhhbm9ammo85sRU432DR3uotGQHMbz20vWUUdkHt5639pHek6FuKDFbpGtJ2WeSM0INex9yRHpmiLL2DxMmZls3muk/s1600/DIY+lightbox+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The light box <i>in situ</i> in our boho bedroom. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Screens such as
these are most commonly used in all sorts of printing from artist books to textiles
such as T-shirts and tote bags.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
one, however, was a tool in producing large scale custom-patterned linen
as a part of my </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Textiles and Printed
Fabrics</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-course in the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">School of
Visual Arts for Children</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Forssa</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
back in 2005.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My group was one of the
first to use their brand new textile classroom and our mission was to design patterns
inspired by the history of the area the school was based in - the grounds of an
old </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finlayson</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> textile mill.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My pattern, depicting
circular details found around the old spinning mill, manhole covers, factory
lights and drains, was printed on linen in two variants; olive- and lime
green. I ended up selling some of the
fabric, made a few tote-bags and, as most fifteen year olds would, forgot all
about it until my mother dug out the last of it and turned it into a duvet
cover set. That turned out to be one of the
most thoughtful gifts me and James received on our wedding day last December. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx2EkSk2SdInMhnUTdWHK6yAcp4EgFCKo0WnpUnQ6iel3tM7KudnPjI6MvtPIFjAXZUqhv6LIC340x4T4urzG5g0T350ysGgBkXdhldtUNEECL9qh2hZzPGIxPOUD0OGKEwUsUpZfanNs/s1600/DIY+lightbox+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx2EkSk2SdInMhnUTdWHK6yAcp4EgFCKo0WnpUnQ6iel3tM7KudnPjI6MvtPIFjAXZUqhv6LIC340x4T4urzG5g0T350ysGgBkXdhldtUNEECL9qh2hZzPGIxPOUD0OGKEwUsUpZfanNs/s1600/DIY+lightbox+2.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our DIY lightbox made of a screen used in textile printing and our bed, made with textiles I printed as a teenager with this very same screen. </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The screen in
its wooden frame, however, was forgotten a long time ago. My mother did not want to throw it away –
after all, it was rather expensive gizmo to buy for a fifteen year old at the
time, and I am glad she did not! Having
finally found its home with us in France, we set out to find the best way to
display it in our new home. James
thought we would have the best contrast of the blue (the medium used to
transfer the negative of the desired image onto the screen) and white areas
(the bare mesh where the ink would be able to transfer through) if we would
light it up, thus he promptly went and bought a remote control LED-strip,
normally meant to illuminate telly stands and the underbellies of cabinets. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As mentioned,
the light strip was self-adhesive and attached easily to the back side of my
wooden frame. Although the strip could
be shortened to length, I chose to wrap the whole 5 meters of it around the
frame giving me almost 3 full laps of lighting power behind the screen. For additional durability, I finished the job
with a few staples on the corners and along the sides where the lights could
come loose with time. The kit set us back 15 euros at our local ACTION store, but you could find similar LED-strips
either at a homeware store or online. This model came with a dimmer and a remote controller which is a pretty nifty detail,
especially as we both are proper lazy, but most importantly, so that I could
hide the manual control panel, similar to those on common Christmas lights, permanently
on the back of the frame. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The light box comes with a remote dimmer and an off switch - lazy sleepers dream! </td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am aware that
printing screens are not that common to come by when searching for materials
for your own lightbox, but a wooden frame covered with a loosely knit fabric
such as lace would look pretty amazing too.
Holiday lights can be used as a substitute for the adhesive strip that I
chose to use, but make sure you stick with the LED’s – old style bulbs,
although tiny, heat up and can be a dangerous when installed too close to
fabrics. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-75441075805446855332017-02-16T18:41:00.000+01:002017-02-16T18:47:01.011+01:00My Modular Kitchen <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujSOVD28bcrVrCVv2FHVpJJ7u7Uk_-KfH1DQaa4lyKdWoy7l3EO4El4U8BXdCfftByYNVjhkPYEkI-1kFQIkf8dXSqiP2s8HRlxQFHkg4RcZgHkqZqJ91MkOmwdSqqRAhuHqLD81UYVXy/s1600/my+modular+kitchen.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujSOVD28bcrVrCVv2FHVpJJ7u7Uk_-KfH1DQaa4lyKdWoy7l3EO4El4U8BXdCfftByYNVjhkPYEkI-1kFQIkf8dXSqiP2s8HRlxQFHkg4RcZgHkqZqJ91MkOmwdSqqRAhuHqLD81UYVXy/s1600/my+modular+kitchen.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is just one of the quirks of the land o'baguette I suppose, but it is not out of the ordinary for houses, especially rentals, or ex-rentals such as ours, to survive on the most basic kitchen amenities: a sink in a corner and if you are lucky, a few rows of tiles. Perhaps this is due to the French renters preferring separate pieces and their own appliances or because a fitted kitchen scores higher on the old tax bracket for the homeowners, but this is how it has always been. As the French would put it - </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bof</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Je ne sais pas</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were dead lucky that both of the rooms intended as kitchens in this house had, besides from the gorgeous porcelain sinks, not one but two cupboards! The second of these little kitchenettes could even boast with a small glass-fronted cabinet - a conversion of a blocked window, but neither had any counter space. Choosing between the two was easy though: the second had more storage and a floor to die for whereas the roof of the first was leaking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know... <i>bof</i>. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our tiddly kitchen before the deep clean: This is a pretty typical set up in older houses in France, and we were lucky to have any cupboards at all.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But worry not, dear reader, as we knew how to deal with this kitchenlessness. And no, I am not talking about </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Papa Johns! </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We previously lived with a similar pseudo-cuisine in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bretagne</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and already had all the necessary components for a fully functional modular kitchen. Engineered and tested by my dear James, perhaps the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cheffiest</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> gentleman on this side of the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Montagne Noire</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, our set up is tight but works pretty damn well even if I say so myself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The biggest hoarder of space in this narrow kitchen is the fridge-freezer; the bastards only fitted in the middle of the room, but having a spacious fridge is something I would not want to compromise on, not even for the sake of good <i>feng shui</i>. On the flip side, we do not have a conventional hob or an oven; instead we use a portable induction place that hides away under our make-shift butchers block counter and a non-fixed oven that is housed inside a trifted side table. I believe the application sits on two pieces of mdf board, one of which is a discarded painting of mine. Recycling is good m'kay. In <i>Bretagne</i> we lost valuable space for the microwave that used to sit on the counter, but we were able to place it inside a cupboard that was conveniently missing its door. <i>Voilà!</i> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The hot plate normally nests under the butchers block and it's light enough to be lifted easily on top when needed.. let's say, when making a light mid night snack...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our main work space is basically a modified architects table: a thick piece of pine, sanded, treated with danish oil and hoisted on a pair of adjustable legs. The oven-side-table-combo was originally designed to fit under this counter, with the hotplate being stored between the two but in this instance we needed a short piece of furniture to sit under the glass cabinet so we moved it around. The additional prep space turned out to be useful too. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The space savers: The antique unit on the far left holds most of our ambient food and the wine crate on top of it is the home of our spice collection. The little oven is housed inside an old side table that fits snugly under the glass cabinets. We lived with the "doors" of the converted window-turned glass cabinet at first, but chose to remove them for easier access to our goblets. </span></td></tr>
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This kitchen has a fair bit of open and exposed storage and although I am not generally a fan of clutter, the maximalist approach was the only realistic one. We simply have too many things to tuck away neatly. And there are examples of our hoard that I actually like to have out in the open, such as my collection of Finnish design glass and James' elegant set of copper pans, but some, let's say the scanky jar of Marmite that expired on the first half of 2014 should be meant for our eyes only. <br /><br />Most of our cook- and tableware is stored in the built-ins where as the food hides inside the wooden <i>art nouveau</i>-ish cabinet. Although we both prefer to fill our lives with trift-store treasures such as that, the space would not be as functional without the little acquisitions from everyone's favourite Swedish furniture giant. The ever versatile <i>Raskog</i> cart deserves a special mention for providing a home for our extensive condiment collection. The IKEA shelf dividers and trays set out places for our heap of kitchen crap, but this mini kitchen is, as many dinky interiors tend to be, still just one misplaced plate away from complete chaos. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A place for everything and everything in its place. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having a place for everything is paramount in keeping a pint sized kitchen tidy. Each module, each pot and every jar, in fact everything in this kitchen has their own set function. Even the dishwasher, currently not hooked up, houses lesser used odds and sods. And for us, it works just fine. And we cook an awful lot, from elaborate Sunday lunches to quick weeknight bites and brunches. Although this modular set up is temporary - we are planning to built a bigger fitted kitchen downstairs in a few years time, we chose not to compromise on the functionality of our cooking space in favour of a less crowded, airier <i>cuisine</i>.<br /><br />Depending on your needs, a modular kitchen can be just as functional as a fitted one and it doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. As small space living is becoming increasingly popular, you do not need to be a carpenter to built a set up that works for you. IKEA launched a tiny all in one-kitchen just last year and similar units can be found from most home improvement stores. And the best part? If you get bored or have a change or heart - <i>bof. </i>All you need is a free afternoon and a bit of grunt to re-configure your units for a "new" kitchen. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-23620813980405076682017-02-12T22:05:00.002+01:002017-02-13T12:39:24.053+01:00the Forgotten Symbolism of Ornament <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiHj5PH6wpTanc06QvmrjvuGQZsOo39ZiYzkeUTbqFTWeGKf9AtiY3HNyLdh2BHpNKPWnpNRcBtclS8E_CxYyhxba9FUGN43D9FmMpDXXPmIsSSXHieuVTMGFYIga_iuVBphdvCKN8I1N/s1600/the+forgotten+symbolism+of+ornament.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiHj5PH6wpTanc06QvmrjvuGQZsOo39ZiYzkeUTbqFTWeGKf9AtiY3HNyLdh2BHpNKPWnpNRcBtclS8E_CxYyhxba9FUGN43D9FmMpDXXPmIsSSXHieuVTMGFYIga_iuVBphdvCKN8I1N/s1600/the+forgotten+symbolism+of+ornament.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Time to get your tin hats on folks, as this week I'll be rambling on about the forgotten symbolism present in the turn of the century design in Europe, inspired by a particular piece of plaster work in my own historic home. From the symbols of catholic saints to the marks of <i>the funny handshake brigade</i>, I will try to get to the bottom of the odd ornaments chosen by the people who built this house in 1910. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let us start with a little lesson in art history: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Towards the end of the 19th century and as a counteraction to what was seen as the emotionally poor strife for realism in art, the <i>symbolists</i> wanted to get back in touch with the the invisible and the mysterious - their <i>psyches</i>. A</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">s defined by Michael Gibson in his book </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Symbolism:</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Less an artistic movement than a state of mind";</span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">, </i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">the artists and artisans inspired by </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">symbolist</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> ideas never formed a defined style or a movement, but greatly affected the development of others such as</span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Art Nouveau</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> in France, BeNeLux and the UK, the </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Jugend Style</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Central Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Spain and the </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">National Romantic Movement</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">, most prominent in Norway and Finland. Idealistically exhausting itself by the beginning of the First World War, </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">symbolism</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> acted as a bridge between the </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">impressionist</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">expressionist</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> way of seeing the world, standing between the old and the new at the dawn of modernism. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Examples of symbolist painting (left to right): <b>Gustav Klimt</b> <i>Hope 1 (1903)</i>, <b>Félicien Rops</b> <i>Pornocratès</i> (1878), <b>William Blake</b> <i>The Great Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun</i> (1806), <b>Francisco Goya</b><i> Saturn Devouring His Son</i> (1819-1823). Klimt and Rops representing similar symbolist ideas that Goya and Blake were pioneering in the beginning of the 19th century. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although painters such as Paul Gauguin were known to travel far and wide for inspiration, <i>symbolism</i> was predominantly a European phenomenon, mixing together old superstition and Christian iconography together with themes of the early industrial age. Allegorical, biblical and often melancholic, <i>symbolist</i> artists` favourite themes were love and loss - especially the loss of innocence, dreams vs. nightmares, coming of age and sexuality as well as passing of time and death. Although not necessarily by a conscious choice, it was a dominantly male movement that had reserved two seats for women they so often fetishised in their works: the seat of a mother or a </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">femme fetale</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> - a whore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />On a completely unrelated subject, I'll firmly recommend reading about the history of <i>syphilis </i>after the industrial revolution in Europe. Illuminating read, truly. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1xXHOosJS7gWflgsA9IG2SgRYDLkyPHm4OGKZ7sl7MAxOiDmID8pNI-eWWSXnVk7O6i_xtDtCPEud93zvioK_7rZyzMVBtZoCTvyVRgY9h1rubOg95Lresodz9VWUy4g98PTaYoKp1-u/s1600/symbolist+art+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh1xXHOosJS7gWflgsA9IG2SgRYDLkyPHm4OGKZ7sl7MAxOiDmID8pNI-eWWSXnVk7O6i_xtDtCPEud93zvioK_7rZyzMVBtZoCTvyVRgY9h1rubOg95Lresodz9VWUy4g98PTaYoKp1-u/s1600/symbolist+art+2.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Paul Gauguin</b> <i>Arearea</i> (1892), <b>Hugo Simberg</b>, <i>the Garden of Death</i> (1896). The red fox in the first picture by Gauguin symbolises sexuality and coming of age. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><br /><br />But enough about the artsy-fartsy semantics: long before the adaptation of openly symbolist language into liberal arts, our ancestors, mostly illiterate and superstitious, used symbols to decorate and to communicate - just think about the image of a skull and crossed bones that today is near universally understood as a sign of danger and death. The typical heart shape, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">an ideograph of the heart,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> has been used to express the idea of romantic love since the 14th century. Folk art, religious iconography and the art of illustration, not even discussing the complex mannerism of literature and the performing arts, had been shrouded in symbolism long before the painters of the 19th century took notice. The exotic and intriguing language of symbols was all the rage in the Victorian England, too, as the mood turned melancholic in the hangover years after the industrial revolution. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Decorative symbols, warning symbols, coats of arms, pictorial traffic signs, badges, logos... <i>the list is endless</i>, are an integral part of the cacophony of visual information we are bombarded with. The meaning of popular symbols, however, is not always fixed. For example, the <i>swastika</i> - the feared and loathed symbol of <i>Nazism</i> in today's Europe, is a popular symbol of the god Vishnu when drawn clockwise and a symbol of the goddess Kali when drawn anticlockwise in Hindu religion, dating back a millennium. Due to its easily repeated form, the <i>swastika</i> has been a common ornament in decoration, especially in embroidery, since the invention of embroidery. For more of a contemporary example, just think of the "save icon" on your computer and how it has evolved, in less than 20 years, from a literal depiction of the format used to store data, into a general symbol of saving information. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Naturally, countless of symbols get ignored or become obsolete, and after a time, forgotten. How long will it take for our insignia, lets say a sign for a wheelchair space or the <i>Starbucks</i> logo, to start looking like meaningless decoration? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My home, like most homes built before the wars, was decorated with an array of ornamental detail from plaster reliefs to marble fireplaces. A leading Victorian authority on ornamentation, Owen Jones (1809-1876), sees decoration as a fundamental desire of man to create. In his <i>Grammar of Ornament</i> published in 1856, he has this to say about the nature of decoration: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed. That which is beautiful is true; that which is true must be beautiful."</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Built originally with a <i>neo-classicist</i> flair mimicking the grandiose houses of the bourgeoisie</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> in Mazamet, my home is a typical example of a townhouse from the beginning of the 20th century in the industrial South. It was originally a </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">crèmerie, </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">habited by</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a family of cheese mongers, complete with two beautiful cheese cellars, three floors of living space, a garden and an outhouse, situated on a street dominated by businesses on both sides and a large protestant church. The leather and textile industry here was just starting to pick up speed, drawing people from the surrounding countryside and streets such as mine could easily be built up within a decade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the original detailing </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">chez nous</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, the most intricate piece of ornamentation is hands down the surviving plaster work. What would have been a thick, possibly ornate crown moulding was removed in the sixties in an effort to mod this place up, but two full panels of decorative plaster work were kept above the fireplaces in two of the grandest rooms. These plaster reliefs were commonly arranged into a shape of a frame, and mine are loosely <i>neoclassical </i>in<i> </i>style, featuring motifs re-popularised by the <i>renaissance revival</i>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Arabesque</i>-style frescoes in late <i>renaissance</i>-style from Owen Jones' <i>the Grammar of Ornament </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my lounge, there are many like it, but this one is mine. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The detail in our lounge, what would have been the original formal <i>salon</i>, is pretty well preserved. Most of the ornaments in this <i>frieze</i> are typical examples of classicist flora and fauna; the top horizontal panel is decorated with foliage of <i>anthemion, </i>a motif of ancient Greek origin, interspersed with heavily stylised bouquets of <i>acanthus</i>, in turn popularised by the ancient Romans. Tops of the left and right vertical panels, featuring a shallow <i>arabesque-</i>style<i> </i>detail, are capped off by a suggested <i>Corinthian</i> capitals, again, archetypal for the periods classical revival architecture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This decorative panel was built to house a mirror and is a typical, if not an ordinary example of a period feature. Several examples, some more sophisticated, some not, in both wood and in plaster, can be found in townhouses of a similar age - except for the fact that ours has snakes in it. A pair of <i>Caduceus'</i> to be exact. Nested between a pair of primroses and a stack of branches, <i>the staff of Hermes -</i> two serpents intertwined around a winged pole, rests above a pair of crossed arrows, hiding in plain sight. Although beautiful, it is clear this part of the <i>frieze</i> meant something beyond mere fashion to the people who commissioned it over a hundred years ago. </span></div>
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The <i>Caduceus</i>, although often mistaken as the <i>Rod of Asclepius</i> - the symbol of medicine, is a symbol for commerce. A fitting touch in a house built by merchants. Commonly depicted with a pair of wings at the top of the staff, the symbols association with trade comes from being linked to the Greek god <i>Hermes</i> (or <i>Mars,</i> the Roman interpretation of the same divinity) who, among other things, was the protector of merchants and tradesmen.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The interest in the civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome had been growing steadily since the <i>renaissance</i>, but the archaeological discoveries in the 19th century around the Mediterranean and high profile exhibitions of classicist art, such as the <i>anglification</i> of the so called <i>Elgin Marbles</i> from the Greek temple of <i>Parthenon</i>, made the study of the antiques incredibly fashionable and helped to popularise the various classic revival movements in applied arts all around Europe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is evident the family that built my home also appreciated classical symbolism, but what is the meaning of the rest of this motif? The crossed arrows, for example, is a popular mark of friendship today, especially in contemporary tattoos and illustration where the meaning is derived from native American symbolism. In Europe, however, arrows, especially in heraldry, are knows to symbolise conflict and war; single arrow standing for martial readiness and an arrow with a cross representing affliction on the battlefield. It is reasonable to assume the crossed arrows are referring to a military conflict and the direction of the arrowheads, here pointing upwards, could indicate a victory, general defiance or hope. <br /><br />It's by no means an uncommon symbol: before being adopted by the hipsters, the crossed arrows were used as a pottery mark by a German manufacturer <i>Porzellanfabrik Kalk</i> from 1850 until their closure in 1976 as well as a Japanese dupe company in the 1950's. It was also a central motif on the old Swedish <i>ör</i> coinage before the introduction of <i>krona</i> in 1873 Here, too, the meaning of the symbol must have stemmed from heraldry, but my further investigation drew a blank. Heck - I even checked the known symbols of <i>the freemasons</i>. Another blank. So I decided to turn to God and read about the symbolism of catholic saints, knowing this would have been a catholic household. Frustratingly, nothing obvious cropped up; St. Ursula is often seen holding an arrow and St. Sebastian pierced by a few more, but the connection felt too loose. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There must have been a concrete reason why the crossed arrows ended up on the background of the serpents, but I couldn't seem to figure it out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, after referring back and forth with a guide of heraldic symbolism I finally checked the <i>actual</i> heraldry of this region... and BINGO! Or may I say <i>Blauvac</i>. A mere four hours away from here, in the department of Vaucluse, nests a rural commune with a coat of arms of crossed arrows with their tips in the air, on a bright green background. Could it be that my family came from Blauvac? Short look at the history of the tiny village tells me about the arrival of the first telephone connection in 1926, followed by the first power lines and electricity in 1928, indicating that the area must have been pretty damn deprived at the time my cheese mongers settled in Mazamet - one of the richest provincial towns in the South due to the immense wealth created by the industries of the <i>Montagne Noire</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A closer inspection of the wings on the top of the <i>Caduceus</i> reveal another interesting quirk - that they are those of a honeybee rather than the wings of a bird as normally expected. An insignificant detail if it wasn't for the fact that one of the symbols of Mazamet is - you guessed it - a honeybee, prominently present in the Mazamet coat of arms as a symbol of the heavy industry. If you ask me, it seems who ever designed this little crest and placed it so prominently on the centerpiece of the grandest room in the house was proud about their trade as well as their roots. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coat of arms of Blauvac featuring crossed arrows, a sign of military power and conflict with the coat of arms of Mazamet, featuring a cock, a sign of great courage in battle and honeybees that stand for of industry and creativity. There are three bees in the crest, one for each dominant industry: textiles, leather and pelts. The colours of the crests are equally important: green stands for freedom, joy, beauty and hope where blue signifies steadfastness, strength, truth and loyalty. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The other plaster relief, in our current bedroom, is a 1920's addition and in poor condition. The detail has suffered after being painted with heavy gloss over the years and some of the trims are crooked or asymmetrical. Situated above a simple wooden fireplace surround, this ornament is <i>Greek-revival</i> style with a hefty nod towards <i>art deco. </i> There are no serpents and no crests in this frame<i>, </i>in fact, no symbolism at all that would go beyond the aims of decoration. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>Greek revival</i>-mantel. Note the beautiful portrait of my dear James - he's changed glasses since it was drawn. Thank Cheesus for that. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would love to think the revamp of the third floor <i>salon/chambre</i>, that we know was finished around <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2016/12/news-from-1920s.html" target="_blank">1924</a>, was done by the couple that built this house. Homes like these used to be passed down in the family alongside the family business, often while multiple generations lived and worked under the same roof. We know the <i>crèmerie</i> was still up and running, along with many of the other businesses on this street, in the late 1950's, as confirmed by our plumber who was born on this street. Today, the <i>Caduceus</i> might be the only visual clue of the family that once lived and loved here, but perhaps the more we continue to dig around, the more there is to be found about their lives here.<br /><br />My father is a builder and regularly collects things left behind by builders like him generations before; packs of cigarettes, coins, items of clothing and scraps of paper, letters even, but this is a first time, in a domestic dwelling, where I've seen a message or <i>a brand</i> left behind by the inhabitants, encrypted in symbols. I am convinced leaving traces such as these, little clues, is more common than people think. Just like with us, the signs were always there, just hiding in plain sight. <br /><br />From all the symbols in the world, the <i>caduceus</i> seems oddly fitting, thinking about us, the current owners of this house, being both self employed. The shop downstairs has been empty nearly fifty years, but I have plans to re-open it for the summer, this time, reincarnated as an artists studio and a gallery. Somehow I think the family of the <i>crèmerie </i>would approve. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-85672192730537155992017-02-03T16:47:00.000+01:002017-02-03T16:54:32.888+01:00Les Nouveaux Bohémiens <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpKZlHh-2DqCgI9Ufx3h6eL4Dn1IwCO_MsbbDufHaeSmKKpmvdc6umDfESKGM_lrwf6wk3kZk8jIsBeeKDfS6DL90dCJEhuImarVqPdaMfbJPk4HpBNtRv6GWc0b4Bnuu0xsUkzDaqwzh/s1600/bohemians.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpKZlHh-2DqCgI9Ufx3h6eL4Dn1IwCO_MsbbDufHaeSmKKpmvdc6umDfESKGM_lrwf6wk3kZk8jIsBeeKDfS6DL90dCJEhuImarVqPdaMfbJPk4HpBNtRv6GWc0b4Bnuu0xsUkzDaqwzh/s1600/bohemians.png" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rant warning! The following content may not be suitable for hipsters or anybody who wants to be a modern bohemian.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bohemian style, rescued from obscurity by <i>Coachella</i> going fashionable millennials and the pesky bike-riding hipsters of this world*, has been <i>mainstream</i> for a while now. Despite of, in principle, being a movement of unconventionality, today the bohemian decor is available to buy in any home store near you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And frankly I think this is a bit of a pity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bohemian interiors are layered, casual and quirky. I stumbled on an old <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/bohemian-homes-youd-love-to-chill-out-in?utm_term=.xejK5G14x#.btm6kq4YX" target="_blank">Buzzfeed piece</a> on <i>boho</i> style whilst researching (procrastinating) for this blog and I think the writer, Peggy Wang, sums up the feel of typical bohemian homes better than I ever could: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Lush exotic fabrics, perfectly disheveled pillows, and overgrown foliage - these are the trademarks of the cozy yet eclectic bohemian aesthetic."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being a visual artist as well as a walking talking stereotype, I have been invited to a few rather bohemian households and I can concur, this is pretty much true - aesthetically anyway. These spaces, thinking about a beautiful home of a couple that traveled the world in love, a shared flat of young and curious individuals, or a conventional house full of un-conventional memories in the middle of the "Middle-England", were not decorated to be bohemian - they grew around their owners like a well maintained garden would, with care and time. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bohemian interiors from Buzzfeed</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sure, you can take Ms. Wangs advice and hit the charity shops and the flea markets for your own piece of eclectic cool, or you could wait and see what life brings your way. The boho style has been hot enough for several years that all sorts of <i>bohemian</i> <i>goods</i> are available to be consumed, from the high end boho chic brands such as <i>anthropologie</i> to the offerings of the trusted <i>opium for the masses</i>-giant IKEA. Lets look at the example of Moroccan wedding blankets, the readers of popular design blogs will know exactly what I am talking about, the ultimate bedding accessory of 2015 - I would be lying if I said I did not like them. They are beautiful objects, trendy, expensive.. proper showcases, but there is just one problem: I already have a good blanket.<br /><br />My blankie, as scruffy as they come, has multicoloured spots on a white background and I paid 3.99£ for it in Pound Stretcher right next to the Meadowbank Sainsbury's in Edinburgh about seven years ago. It's made or 100% polyester and I wouldn't change it for the world.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "incidentally" bohemian bedroom.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My relationship with decor has always been complicated: When I moved to my first flat back in 2006, still living in Finland, I had practically no furniture beyond my childhood bed. My mum stepped in, teamed up with a few relatives and collected everything a young person could need to set up their first home. I was almost sixteen and in my head a fully grown adult. Four years later I moved to Edinburgh to study painting and my sister, in turn just about to move into her first apartment, inherited all of my furniture and the nick-nacks I used as decoration.<br /><br />Like most students, I moved several times whilst in uni, sometimes living on my own, sometimes sharing with friends or befriending the strangers I moved in with. Although I carried a suitcase full of things back from Finland to Scotland on each of my visits, I always purged away twice the amount when I moved house. By the time I moved in with my future husband I had two suitcases full of clothes and three IKEA bags of other stuff and this was roughly the sum of my worldly belongings.<br /><br />Thankfully, he did have furniture of his own; <i>very nice</i> <i>furniture</i>, things that he had collected in good time, with pride and love. He is a <i>maximalist</i> with more clothes than I have, a brilliant taste regarding antique pieces and he shares my appetite for drifting. We have, successfully may I add, bought furniture together; done the IKEA relationship test, haggled in a<i> depot vente</i> (a sort of a flea market), and replaced some of our old things with new, some of which were expensive and some on a budget. Our decor is an eclectic mix of old and new, high and low-end - a bit... <i>bohemian</i>. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxuV2-nZmiapJ9nWLSpIPKcaivedga3g7MecFhKFvyDB0MaObqJBYvXC4qWbEHRbheNLvqOOeFebYE6W6kUcCzk-TKquM_5fVdUY8KJmvFQYF3Zfc1t-fL7vl1dosh3heou5WpGC9HRyr/s1600/boho+collection.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxuV2-nZmiapJ9nWLSpIPKcaivedga3g7MecFhKFvyDB0MaObqJBYvXC4qWbEHRbheNLvqOOeFebYE6W6kUcCzk-TKquM_5fVdUY8KJmvFQYF3Zfc1t-fL7vl1dosh3heou5WpGC9HRyr/s1600/boho+collection.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior details from our little old house, with raw plaster walls and pealing wallpaper. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I never thought of myself as a bohemian before. Never. Not even in the middle of my art studies with the evenings spent in pubs discussing painting and sex with other fashionably artistic millenials. Bohemians, for me, don't shop at Lidl and they certainly don't store their H&M undies in a MALM dresser and enjoy watching <i>the Embarrassing Bodies</i> or the <i>Jeremy Kyle Show. </i>To be honest, I think the culprit is this house - there is nothing more romantic than the idea of a creative couple living in a crumbling old house with charming period detail in the middle of the most picturesque France. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We did not set ourselves out to become cliches of bohemian living, it merely crept up on us and I guess this is how most interiors loved by the people who live in them are born. Just like all good gardens, with care and time. Once we get going with the plaster work in this house, paint the walls and patch a few not-so-discrete holes on our ceilings, our dwelling will start looking more conventional again. I like the rustic boho look we got going for the time being, but I would never pay a designer to recreate it. Just as one might walk to <i>Anthropologie</i> today and pick up a piece of exotic old world chic to crown their eclectic lives, I imagine it could never feel the same as haggling for it in the bazaars of North Africa. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1pS0RvMW-6WKkcKQ0oJWdkVRe7VTKUy4H6pWhrUpLvwMlz19xxNeDxUknqrlWcTwPPrHdusaXgQ9KBsjmxWIVlr3e4rCbSQDgHQqJGHCauZpWzL5lA5I9UKMQRGTnTD1mCfl_mIDxqXR/s1600/lounge+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1pS0RvMW-6WKkcKQ0oJWdkVRe7VTKUy4H6pWhrUpLvwMlz19xxNeDxUknqrlWcTwPPrHdusaXgQ9KBsjmxWIVlr3e4rCbSQDgHQqJGHCauZpWzL5lA5I9UKMQRGTnTD1mCfl_mIDxqXR/s1600/lounge+3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avocados growing on an IKEA stepstool - is this what hipsters are made of?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I feel immensely privileged to be able to live where I do and it works for us well. Part of our choice to live in the South of France is to do with the relatively cheap cost of living, especially the price of property. Like many, we would have not stood a change in owning our home in the UK where the system does not exactly favour the self employed, especially those working in arts. Just like the bohemian artists that flooded the quarters of the poor in Paris at the end of the 19th century - we are part of the cycle of gentrification that is more relevant today than never before.<br /><br />This is why I am cynical about the boho-craze: nothing is ever as simple as it looks. <i> Les Bohémiens</i> of the golden age of Paris were mostly an ideal constructed by themselves; Henry Toulouse-Lautrec, the epitome of a poor bohemian artist, came from a wealthy aristocratic family who supported their son financially enabling him to pursue his artistic merits and live the jolly good <i>la Vie de Bohéme. </i>To appreciate the bohemian aesthetic is fine as is living the bohemian life, I am not trying to point the finger on anybody, but this <i>style</i>, like any <i>trend</i>, is also a gargantuan business venture. Boho-chic enterprises such as <i>Coachella</i> in the States, to use an obvious example, look like great fun, but let's not forget the fact that the cost of tickets for the weekend is more than most people pay in rent each month. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cozy, laid back bohemian feel of these types of events and products is often just an illusion. Using the undying words of Dolly Parton: "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw plaster wall in our bedroom</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />An quick search of bohemian interiors on Pinterest reveals a never ending stream of beautifully curated eclectic interiors from all around the world. On a lot of cases replicating a look like that would be a choice between a new decor or a new car. A few of us can afford to complete a process such as furnishing a home in one blast, but worry not - the process can be just as rewarding when you take, yes I am going to repeat the punch line one more time, time and care with your choices. <br /><br />Want to live like a new bohemian? Hit the flee market, <i>anthro</i> or your local asda - and get only the things that you need. Focus on the stuff that reminds you of good times and good people or what you really, really love. With this set of guidelines you can't go wrong. Trends, they come and go, so you might as well do you. This is what visiting other peoples delightfully eclectic, cozy and totally bohemian homes has thought me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*Drops mike - rant over*</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*Disclamer: You might meet me driving around on my vintage Motobecane bike, rocking a sundress-winter-scarf-combo. I grow avocados on my lounge, like craft beer and I have a degree in fine art.. So dear hipsters - don't hate me, I'm one of you. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-81155678480677534012017-01-25T13:28:00.001+01:002017-01-25T13:29:31.564+01:00Series of unfortunate events: FLOOR EDITION <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5i_v39QiVno_dlXoHtCrIizHWetoblpzCqwjJnC5l9s5QhbIqi-0e5qGvTBb45e8iTIloC4F7MaXHHQk0wObcoan0QTunSftzCKf5hioMFQWMBiY01QiPn5epD-HPBApru4pbhxxPR8C/s1600/floor+edition.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5i_v39QiVno_dlXoHtCrIizHWetoblpzCqwjJnC5l9s5QhbIqi-0e5qGvTBb45e8iTIloC4F7MaXHHQk0wObcoan0QTunSftzCKf5hioMFQWMBiY01QiPn5epD-HPBApru4pbhxxPR8C/s1600/floor+edition.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I talked previously about <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2016/12/a-brief-history-of-our-walls-part-1.html" target="_blank">the history of our walls</a> and thought it is time to kick off the </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">grand saga</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> that is the ongoing restoration and cleaning of our floor tiles. After all, it was those gorgeous antique tiles that sold us this house last autumn. And </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">boy there's a bit to talk about</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">: some of the floors were already beautiful beyond belief and only needed a deep clean - but some... well, had been considered to be beyond repair. SPOILER ALERT - THEY WERE NOT.* </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*So suck a fat one, the previous owners of my house from the 1960's who thought so!</span></div>
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Starting from the most labour intensive job, this is a story of me and my hubby discovering, cleaning and sealing a bunch of terracotta tiles that were hidden under ghastly sheets of linoleum. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over all, the tile work in our little old house is in pretty good nick: The trend of erasing history of old dwellings swooped by our place, not once or twice, but every generation or so and where the walls with their decorative strips of crown molding took a bit of a hit each time, the floors were left pretty much as they were - with the exception of these 20x20cm terracotta tiles. We discovered them on our first visit to the property, hiding under some pretty fragile linoleum and in a desperate need of tender love and care. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, only one of the rooms of this house has had a complete floor change since the house was built in 1910, not counting in the bathrooms that would have been retrofitted by the 1940's-1950's. Tile-wise, on that ground floor <i>salon </i>that was refurbished as a bedsit, perhaps to accommodate an aging proprietor in the early 80's, they did a pretty good job, ignoring the complete lack of taste exhibited by their choice of a patterned porcelain tile. I am normally against replacing something that is perfectly good and functional, but these tiles are just so god-awful that I am willing to make an expensive exception. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Having needed some space to live, our first task upon moving in was to clean enough floors to fix ourselves a temporary living room, a bedroom and a kitchen. The house had been derelict for just over ten years and everything was, understandably, dirtier than a blind mans toilet. Cleaning the kitchen floor, rocking the beautifully moody encaustic tiles shown above, was a piece of cake: It turned out, most of the tiles cleaned up well with just a drop of PH neutral dish soap and were, rather surprisingly, not in a desperate need of resealing. <br /><br />The case of terracotta tiles found hiding in our bedroom and the lounge, however, was a different matter entirely. Having been in a need of a sealant and re-grouting, somebody in the 60's (curse these people to hell) thought, either, that repairs were too much work or just preferred more of a contemporary no-maintenance material. Luckily, instead of lifting the tiles and the sand-cement they were laid on, the homeowners leveled the floor by covering it entirely in lime and installed a carpet of linoleum straight on top of the compacted lime dust. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><br /><br />Of course, a no-maintenance material does not exist - except in the dreams of salesmen and lazy homeowners. Easy to install, easy to care materials such as linoleum, vinyl or laminate do not need maintenance at first and clean with ease, but after a decade or two, depending variables such as the quality of the product, general wear and exposure to the sun and moisture, even the toughest of these materials will age ungracefully and will need to be replaced. The wood imitation-linoleum, laid on top of our century old terracotta tiles, had faded, bubbled and cracked so badly under the blazing sun of <i>Mazamet</i> that it was taken straight to the tip. It did not adhere to the floor at all, implying that it was never properly fastened to it's base or the glue holding it had dissolved a long time ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Turned out, taking off the lino was the easy part...<br /><br />It took the both of us, me and my husband that is, two days to scrape off the packed lime dust on each floor. Sometimes the stuff came off in big sheets, but more often than not, it needed to be chiseled off one tiny chip at a time. To save our little <i>Henry the Hoover</i> from clogging up, we swept the dust by hand before revving up the vacuum - in hind sight, I firmly recommend wearing a mask for these types of jobs... safety first boys and girls! You don't want to be digging out dust from your nose like I had to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We followed up by a couple turns of serious moppin' before getting down and dirty armed with a sponge and a bucket. Where the scrubbing was not quite as back-braking as the chiseling of the lime, it took it's time; a full working day in each case. I finished the job with two coats of sealant that was specifically designed for porous terracotta tiles. This stuff was pretty easy to use and dried up in about half an hour per coat. If only the tiles had never been covered in the first place! Where we spent four days on each room restoring the look and function of our antique tiling, cleaning and sealing them in the 60's, instead of paying for linoleum, would have taken less than 4 <i>hours</i> per floor. <i>Cheesus Christ!</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />But all said and done - I'd say the results were well worth it! These tiles don't look new, but why should they? They got holes, residual lime stuck between the grout lines as well as wear and tear worth a century, but that's what we like about them. Replacing these tiles with new ones would have cost us a big penny - even if I would have chosen to go with new linoleum. And that would have, in turn, needed to be replaced after a few decades under our burning sun. Terracotta is hard wearing, extremely easy to clean and maintain, as well as <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/12-beautiful-rooms-with-terra-cotta-tile-239744" target="_blank">pretty trendy for the time being</a>, just in case you need a reason or two to start giving your elderly tiles some love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope ours will be good for another 100+ years. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06885521282083319189noreply@blogger.com2Mazamet, Ranska43.490103 2.376578999999992443.397908 2.2152174999999925 43.582297999999994 2.5379404999999924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2735058770996842879.post-81110005698161511192016-12-11T16:58:00.000+01:002016-12-12T16:36:55.009+01:00News from the 1920's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fSzgrD_k2aV9okYgM-Lqxn0W0_E7OPxHlZECG28Fxl99TeYN9Dji9so5vGSgm4_X1Tho_7GTe11Lsn2FDSsWOf8lvqiG77zEMh5e4oKTr8aFut0eYMXzcRY8AOfvZZAmCFWoO4K3tIKx/s1600/News%2521+from+the+1920%2527s.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fSzgrD_k2aV9okYgM-Lqxn0W0_E7OPxHlZECG28Fxl99TeYN9Dji9so5vGSgm4_X1Tho_7GTe11Lsn2FDSsWOf8lvqiG77zEMh5e4oKTr8aFut0eYMXzcRY8AOfvZZAmCFWoO4K3tIKx/s1600/News%2521+from+the+1920%2527s.png" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our house was built before the first World War, but so far the most fascinating insight to the early history of our dwelling came in the form of a few sheets of <i>L'Express du Midi</i>, found under the wallpaper on our built-in wardrobes. These newspapers date between 1918 and 1924, thus giving us valuable information of when these cupboards were constructed, but beyond learning about our home, the brittle pages open a window to a world long gone: the everyday life after World War I in regional France. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People talk about the <i>roaring twenties</i>, but the idea of a golden, carefree era between the end of the 1914-1918 war and the stock market crash of 1929 did not really exist. In reality, most people took their time to recover after the war, emotionally, as well as economically: The war machine that ate away the sons, occasionally spitting away nothing but bones; worse yet, broken men had grown quiet, but the lives lost left behind a sizable hole in the young male population, shaking small rural communities to the core. People displaced by the fighting and the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 were struggling to return to a normal rhythm of life - and what was normal anyway? It could have been said the<i> Great War </i>marked the beginning of modern times - in both good and in bad. Things that contributed to the myth of the 1920's: the café culture of Paris, the bohemians and the flappers, the Great Gatsby, Josephine Baker and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>all that jazz</i>... that was not most peoples reality living through the decade. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZggh1jEbdPFv7aaBfUdl2pRRuc9XWiIjjB3qYWeC9JnAX3ECePLUYhLFT4MIvlx75Ae5Mt74YnQTUy7KKwv57xsnijzdEaXbssIFTfrqv0FQKRrJ0qarzz9CbCeEuX0JBCPaH1_guMLF9/s1600/IMG_2284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZggh1jEbdPFv7aaBfUdl2pRRuc9XWiIjjB3qYWeC9JnAX3ECePLUYhLFT4MIvlx75Ae5Mt74YnQTUy7KKwv57xsnijzdEaXbssIFTfrqv0FQKRrJ0qarzz9CbCeEuX0JBCPaH1_guMLF9/s1600/IMG_2284.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZzXJtmFU8wcvbcWp6bGgyKPJh2jWUi8CevtFp015Rm3LOsYYmn1hcKJ2qRP7EaPJhoI8OT2ORcmHVxxuhIgdVV_mzky-BAmmkB41dJU-eqAoeJggJ6Duow6A2FNsUjfq1fDacRW2XOJX/s1600/war+memorial.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZzXJtmFU8wcvbcWp6bGgyKPJh2jWUi8CevtFp015Rm3LOsYYmn1hcKJ2qRP7EaPJhoI8OT2ORcmHVxxuhIgdVV_mzky-BAmmkB41dJU-eqAoeJggJ6Duow6A2FNsUjfq1fDacRW2XOJX/s1600/war+memorial.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The First World War memorial in Mazamet. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Mazamet, my hometown, was a thriving industrial hub built on the textile and leather trade. A quick look at the <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazamet#Population_et_soci.C3.A9t.C3.A9" target="_blank">development of population</a> in Mazamet reveals that it had dropped during the war, but grew steadily throughout the twenties: an indication of an abundance of jobs available and economic stability. The <i>Montagne Noire</i> with its mountain streams provided a steady supply of clean water for the industry and there was plenty of unskilled labour available to take on the jobs the factories provided. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our house was originally built as a <i>crèmerie</i> and this must have been a prosperous time for them, as we know they embarked on a hefty renovation program remodeling two of the grandest rooms of this house in a trendy <i>Art Deco</i>-style. The rest of the town was booming too: great big townhouses and villas were being erected to house the families of the wealthy factory owners, some of them being the oldest steel framed houses in the South of France. These grandiose homes were decorated with marble and hardwood, whereas my cheesemongers settled for the next best thing: wallpaper. And this is where the <i>L'Express du Midi</i> comes in: the makers of the new built-in units used sheets of newspaper to line the exteriors of their new wardrobe doors. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sheet of newspaper used as a wallpaper liner where I found it - covering a door of a built in wardrobe. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I found these pages hiding under what felt like <a href="http://cheznous21.blogspot.fr/2016/12/a-brief-history-of-our-walls-part-1.html" target="_blank">a million layers of wallpaper</a> and they are pressed as full of text as it is possible to read, broken up only by regular and beautifully illustrated adverts for products such as fortified apéritif wines, ladies garments and pseudo-medicines, basically all the goods that were again openly available after the war. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Selection of 1920's advertisement from<i> L'Express du Midi</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>L'Express du Midi</i>, (1891-1938) produced by<i> Le Nouvelliste de Lyon-</i>group was a catholic newspaper based in Toulouse. One of the leading voices of the conservative opposition in the region and the main competitor for the left leaning <i>La Dépêche du Midi, </i>it<i> </i>defined itself as "the publication of the social and religious defense". Mazamet, at the time, was a town divided by religion and class: the vast, catholic working classes led very separate lives from the predominantly protestant upper class. I had been trying to guess the beliefs of the family that built my house and by finding out about the politics of their chosen newspaper, I can be certain they would have been devout Catholics. As merchants, though, they must have worked with all walks of life, serving cheese right beside a grand protestant church.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ2Qzz2LWq2XFByAgqP8pFuIUx7EBXRdUysugGt1sudIIJ2fQqBLdCY83sb6Qu7nXXQPrfq4dX2cOjQRZ0sUBOvlDAl7gEcvZwd0GiziXJCz-tkzql8R1t5QukI4Unwb2tQQawTh5QU0q/s1600/mixed+portraits.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ2Qzz2LWq2XFByAgqP8pFuIUx7EBXRdUysugGt1sudIIJ2fQqBLdCY83sb6Qu7nXXQPrfq4dX2cOjQRZ0sUBOvlDAl7gEcvZwd0GiziXJCz-tkzql8R1t5QukI4Unwb2tQQawTh5QU0q/s1600/mixed+portraits.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catholic sacraments of marriage and confirmation as illustrated by these photos taken in Tarn in the 20's and 30's. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But what created headlines in the early 1920's? Aftermath of the war and signing the treaty of Versailles, sure. Everyday political upheaval between the left and right, strikes, general elections... and refugees flooding Europe. After the end of the war - surely that can't be right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once the guns had been lowered between the <i>Allies</i> and the <i>Central Powers, </i>the killing<i> </i>had only started in the newly formed Soviet Union and the supporters of the old régime were fleeing the bloody civil war that was raging between the <i>Bolsheviks</i> and anti-communist <i>"Whites"</i>. The ones that managed to escape were seeking a passage to mainland Europe via Odessa, desperate for a ship to carry them and their families to safety. An estimation of 400 thousand of the refugees chose France. The influx of these strangers would have been strongly felt and the <i>L'Express du Midi</i> paints a powerful portrait of people, displaced and waiting for rescue - or certain destruction. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? It is harrowing to think how little the world has changed in nearly a century.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq99XnSTwhmYi4183EjJn3ptdxHEnzlRcTiPPbYwRTqUQGT7Gskvre8BAqbrSzGOoVRXsCqU8MHTQFkJJGOmVl978v1lgXObLtwC5Bmzjlt-CslEy-9ENNojre5l3yc0spTbqssinOiXqA/s1600/IMG_2311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq99XnSTwhmYi4183EjJn3ptdxHEnzlRcTiPPbYwRTqUQGT7Gskvre8BAqbrSzGOoVRXsCqU8MHTQFkJJGOmVl978v1lgXObLtwC5Bmzjlt-CslEy-9ENNojre5l3yc0spTbqssinOiXqA/s1600/IMG_2311.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Russian refugees fleeing after the civil war that was raging after the revolution. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another little article talks about "<i>the wives of</i> (coal) <i>miners opposing the imminent strike action</i>" in the United Kingdom, referring to activity that would ultimately culminate in the 1926 general strike that lasted for nine days. The low consumption of coal, decreasing export market and the artificially strong position of the pound had driven the price of coal to a record low, nearly halving the miners wages. To stir up the mess that was forming, Germany, whose industry had been heavily sanctioned following the defeat to the allied forces, was allowed to re-join the coal market in 1924 and provided coal for Italy and France practically free as a part of their post defeat reparations. In the end the miners were to achieve nothing. They held their ground at first, but had to return to the pits to work even longer hours with less pay - those who still had their jobs anyway. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_qWEJvM0PjNuBzCN8vw4JjKGFrq3mFWuEvVVZ0DKVLLA10bEt4PidvAf-3_VrIPxdFIKjcWRSlJrxM08nmeiccbD2yZ3tl63LF5Zm0fag-9U12wxqHL3A4dyHrmMju_32wH2ntXxF7PO/s1600/Untitled+design.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_qWEJvM0PjNuBzCN8vw4JjKGFrq3mFWuEvVVZ0DKVLLA10bEt4PidvAf-3_VrIPxdFIKjcWRSlJrxM08nmeiccbD2yZ3tl63LF5Zm0fag-9U12wxqHL3A4dyHrmMju_32wH2ntXxF7PO/s1600/Untitled+design.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mr. Clavier fixed hernias in Mazamet as the delegates of newly independent Finland finished negotiating peace with the Soviet Union. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In addition, both my native country of Finland and my current hometown of Mazamet get a mention in 1920: The delegates of the newly independent Finland and the Soviet Union were involved in negotiating what would be know as the "Treaty of Tartu" in Estonia. This peace treaty was to draw a new border between the two countries and cause bitterness and friction on both sides, notably affecting the decision in Finland to try and reclaim the lost areas during the Continuation War (25/06/1941-19/09/1944). This decision was to turn sour for the Finns: They avoided being occupied by the Soviet forces but ultimately lost further areas, including massive chunks of the Finnish heartland, Karelia. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mazamet achieved prominence this week thanks to the visit of M. Claverie, an esteemed authority on the treatment of hernias and other displacements of internal organs, offering immediate and long-lasting relief. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reading through these pages of yesterday's news has been an eye opening experience. As a keen student of history, war history in particular, I always found the <i>Great War</i> distant and hard to <i>feel</i> largely due to the focus on numbers and statistics over the real human experience in mainstream history telling. It is also a conflict largely overshadowed by the Second World War. It's easy to forget the <i>Average Jacques</i> when reading about the undying personalities such as the Red Baron, <i>Manfred von Richthofen</i>, but these articles dating from the last days of the war made it all feel eerily real for me. The memorial with rows upon rows of names carved in cold, hard stone, could not evoke as deep of a sense of sorrow as the last advert I'll post here for you to see: a notification of a free service for locating lost soldiers, two years into peace, for families that were still looking for their loved ones. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the families of soldiers disappeared during the war...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNNmc5ZguwayJXx0N01tRDYcONIUgNyi2yD4331A3dWLZEGftfS3AxlRa7BteE89F04fYxPkjauvFOYYNcJmDU7XQI8hdTJ6XUYf4dLneLA4r1snfD6A7PMzxrbSFYMqxpR4xpxYD4zr_/s1600/Caporal+Caffarecca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNNmc5ZguwayJXx0N01tRDYcONIUgNyi2yD4331A3dWLZEGftfS3AxlRa7BteE89F04fYxPkjauvFOYYNcJmDU7XQI8hdTJ6XUYf4dLneLA4r1snfD6A7PMzxrbSFYMqxpR4xpxYD4zr_/s1600/Caporal+Caffarecca.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of a young man in WWI uniform, identified as Caporal Caffarecca in the back of the picture. According to the inscription, he lost his life on the 21st of August in Alsace.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The estimated casualties of the First World War were more than 38 million, including a total of 17 million military and civilian deaths, 20 million wounded and numerous who simply vanished. For the many thousands of families that had to bury a loved one, thousands more never got to know what happened to their nearest and dearest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am lucky enough never to have known war. Let us not forget the horrors these people lived through and those who lost their lives for others to exist in a world without war, after all, this was supposed to be the war to end all wars.<br /><br /><br /></span><br />
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